Modified nanopores, compositions comprising the same, and uses thereof

ABSTRACT

Provided herein relate to modified or mutant forms of secretin and compositions comprising the same. In particular, the modified or mutant forms of secretin permits efficient capture and/or translocation of an analyte through the modified or mutant secretin nanopores. Methods for using unmodified secretin or the modified or mutant forms of secretin and compositions, for example, for characterizing an analyte, e.g., a target polynucleotide, are also provided.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/484,798, filed Aug. 8, 2019, which is a national stage filing under35 U.S.C. 371 of International application number PCT/GB2018/050379,filed Feb. 12, 2018, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) toU.S. Provisional application No. 62/457,483, filed Feb. 10, 2017, eachof which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

REFERENCE TO AN ELECTRONIC SEQUENCE LISTING

The contents of the electronic sequence listing(O036670047US02-SEQ-KZM.xml; Size: 57,947 bytes; and Date of Creation:Oct. 6, 2022) is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Provided herein are modified or mutant forms of secretin andcompositions comprising the same. Methods for using the modified ormutant forms of secretin and compositions, for example, forcharacterizing a target analyte, e.g., a target polynucleotide, are alsoprovided. Also provided herein are compositions comprising secretin andan enzyme provided within the secretin lumen.

BACKGROUND

Transmembrane pores (e.g., nanopores) have been used to identify smallmolecules or folded proteins and to monitor chemical or enzymaticreactions at the single molecule level. The electrophoretictranslocation of DNA across nanopores reconstituted into artificialmembranes holds great promise for practical applications such as DNAsequencing, and biomarker recognition. However, translocation ofdouble-stranded or single-stranded DNA through nanopores having internalsurface facing negatively charged amino acids are not efficient.

SUMMARY

The disclosure relates generally to analyte detection using secretins asnanopores. The disclosure generally relates to modified nanopores. Insome embodiments, the disclosure provides modified secretin nanoporesand subunit polypeptides, compositions or apparatuses comprising thesame, and uses thereof. In some embodiments, modified secretin nanoporesprovided herein are useful for analyte detection and analysis becausethey promote efficient capture and/or translocation of an analyte, e.g.,a negatively-charged or hydrophobic biopolymer such as a polynucleotideor protein, across the nanopores. Accordingly, secretin nanopores, e.g.modified secretin nanopores as described herein can be used forcharacterizing an analyte, e.g., a target polynucleotide or polypeptide,and other suitable applications. Accordingly, in further embodiments,described herein are methods and compositions for characterizing ananalyte, e.g., a target polynucleotide or polypeptide.

One aspect of the present disclosure features a modified secretinnanopore, for example, disposed in a membrane. The modified secretinnanopore comprises a lumenal surface defining a lumen that extendsthrough the membrane between a cis-opening and a trans-opening, whereinthe lumenal surface comprises one or more amino acid modifications.Examples of the amino acid modifications include, but are not limited tocharge-altering modifications (e.g., substitutions of negatively-chargedamino acids with positively-charged amino acids), amino acidmodifications that change its hydrophobicity (e.g., substitutions ofneutral amino acids with hydrophobic amino acids), amino acidmodifications that change the size of an opening, e.g. a constriction orgate, in the secretin (e.g. substitution of one or more amino acidhaving a smaller or larger side group that the naturally occurring aminoacid(s), or deletion of one or more amino acids that constrict anopening), amino acid modifications that inhibit or prevent gate opening(such as substitution of one or more flexible amino acid with more rigidamino acid(s)), and a combination thereof.

The cis-opening and trans-opening of the modified secretin nanopores mayhave a diameter of any size that suits the need of an application (e.g.,detection and/or analysis of an analyte such as a targetpolynucleotide). In some embodiments, the cis-opening of the modifiedsecretin nanopores may have a diameter in a range of 60 Å to 120 Å. Insome embodiments, the trans-opening of the modified secretin nanoporesmay have a diameter in a range of 40 Å to 100 Å. In some embodiments,the constriction of the modified secretin nanopores may have a diameterof about 7.5 Å to 25 Å.

Any types of secretin may be used to produce the modified secretinnanopores described herein. For example, in some embodiments, thesecretin may be of a type II secretion system (e.g., but not limited toGspD). In some embodiments, the secretin may be of a type III secretionsystem (e.g., but not limited to YscC and InvG). In some embodiments,the secretin may be of a type IV secretion system (e.g., but not limitedto PilQ).

In some embodiments where the secretin is an InvG, the modified secretinnanopore may further comprise a subunit polypeptide having an amino acidsequence that is at least 95% identical to the amino acid sequence asset forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 (corresponding to the amino acid sequence ofInvG without N1 or N0 domain). In these embodiments, the lumenal surfacemay further define a constriction within the lumen, the constrictionhaving one or more amino acid modifications (e.g., charge-alteringmodifications) at amino acids D28, E225, R226, and/or E231 of SEQ IDNO: 1. Examples of such amino acid modifications include but are notlimited to (i) D28N/Q/T/S/G/R/K; (ii) E225N/Q/T/A/S/G/P/H/F/Y/R/K; (iii)R226N/Q/T/A/S/G/P/H/F/Y/K/V; (iv) Deletion of E225; (v) Deletion ofR226; and (vi) E231N/Q/T/A/S/G/P/H/R/K. In some embodiments, themodified secretin nanopore, the lumenal surface may comprise a captureportion having one or more amino acid modifications at amino acids E41,Q45 or E114, examples of which include, but are not limited to (i)Q45R/K; (ii) E41N/Q/T/S/G/R/K; and (iii) E114N/Q/T/S/G/R/K.

The modified secretin nanopore can be homo-multimeric (e.g., allsubunits within the nanopore are the same) or hetero-multimeric (e.g.,at least one subunit is different from others within the nanopore). Themodified secretin nanopore may comprise any number of subunitpolypeptides that are sufficient to form a lumen large enough to permita target analyte (e.g., polynucleotide) to pass through. In someembodiments, the modified secretin nanopore may comprise 9-20 subunitpolypeptides, wherein at least one or more (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, or up to all) of the subunit polypeptidescomprises one or more of the amino acid modifications as describedherein.

Accordingly, modified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide andpolynucleotides comprising nucleotide sequences encoding the modifiedsecretin nanopore subunit polypeptides are also provided herein.

For example, in one aspect the modified GspD secretin nanopore comprisesa subunit polypeptide comprising a secretin domain having an amino acidsequence that is at least 95% identical to the amino acid sequence ofthe secretin domain set forth in SEQ ID NO: 36. The secretin domain ofGspD from Vibrio cholerae and from Escherichia coli ETEC contains a capgate. Other Type II secretion system secretin subunit polypeptides,including some GspD subunit polypeptides, such as Escherichia coli K12,do not comprise a cap gate. The modified secretin nanopore may, in oneaspect be one that does not comprise a cap gate. The secretin domain setin out SEQ ID NO: 36 comprises a cap gate between positions 56 and 77.For example, the secretin domain set forth in SEQ ID NO: 36 may bemodified to delete all or part of the cap gate, e.g. all or some of theamino acids from D55 or T56 to T77 of SEQ ID NO: 36 may be deleted orsubstituted. Alternatively, the modified GspD secretin nanopore maynaturally lack a cap gate. The amino acids from D55 or T56 to T77 of SEQID NO: 36 correspond to the amino acids from D371 or T372 to T393 of SEQID NO: 32.

The central gate of GspD may be modified to replace an amino acid withan amino acid having a smaller side group and/or to replace a negativelycharged amino acid with a neutral or positively charged amino acid. Thesecretin domain set in out SEQ ID NO: 36 comprises a central gatebetween positions 144 to 157, which correspond to positions 460 and 473of SEQ ID NO: 32. The secretin domain of the modified GspD secretinnanopore may comprise a secretin domain having an amino acid sequencethat is at least 95% identical to an amino acid sequence as set forth inSEQ ID NO: 36, wherein: (i) all or some of the amino acids from D55 orT56 to T77 are deleted or substituted, one or more of K60, D64, R71 andE73 is substituted with an uncharged amino acid and/or one or more ofD55, T56, T77 and K78 is substituted with P; and/or (ii) F156 issubstituted with a smaller amino acid, N151 and/or N152 is/aresubstituted with a smaller amino acid, D153 is substituted with anuncharged amino acid, G137 and G165 are each independently unmodified orsubstituted with A or V. For example, in the modified secretin GspDnanopore Y63 to R71 may deleted and/or substituted with GSG or SGS, F156may be substituted with A, D153 may be substituted with S, and/or N151and N152 may each independently be substituted with G or S. D55, T56,K60, Y63, D64, R71, E73, T77, K78, G137, N151, N152, D153, F156 and G165of SEQ ID NO: 36 correspond to D371, T372, K376, Y379, D380, R387, E389,T393, K394, G453, N467, N468, D469, F472 and G481 of the full lengthGspD amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 32. The modifiedsecretin GspD nanopore may in one aspect comprise a subunit polypeptidecomprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 95% identical to theamino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 33, 34 and/or 35.

The secretin domain of the modified GspD secretin nanopore may comprisea secretin domain having an amino acid sequence that is at least 95%identical to an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 35,wherein: (i) all or some of the amino acids from D55 or T56 to T77 aredeleted or substituted, one or more of K60, D64, R71 and E73 issubstituted with an uncharged amino acid and/or one or more of D55, T56,T77 and K78 is substituted with P; and/or (ii) F156 is substituted witha smaller amino acid, N151 and/or N152 is/are substituted with a smalleramino acid, D153 is substituted with an uncharged amino acid, G137 andG165 are each independently unmodified or substituted with A or V. Forexample, in the modified secretin GspD nanopore Y63 to R71 may deletedand/or substituted with GSG or SGS, F156 may be substituted with A, D153may be substituted with S, and/or N151 and N152 may each independentlybe substituted with G or S. D55, T56, K60, Y63, D64, R71, E73, T77, K78,G137, N151, N152, D153, F156 and G165 of SEQ ID NO: 35 correspond toD371, T372, K376, Y379, D380, R387, E389, T393, K394, G453, N467, N468,D469, F472 and G481 of the full length GspD amino acid sequence setforth in SEQ ID NO: 32.

The secretin domain of the modified GspD secretin nanopore may comprisea secretin domain having an amino acid sequence that is at least 95%identical to an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 34,wherein: (i) all or some of the amino acids from D117 or T118 to T139are deleted or substituted, one or more of K122, D126, R133 and E135 issubstituted with an uncharged amino acid and/or one or more of D117,T118, T139 and K140 is substituted with P; and/or (ii) F218 issubstituted with a smaller amino acid, N213 and/or N214 is/aresubstituted with a smaller amino acid, D215 is substituted with anuncharged amino acid, G199 and G227 are each independently unmodified orsubstituted with A or V. For example, in the modified secretin GspDnanopore Y125 to R133 may deleted and/or substituted with GSG or SGS,F218 may be substituted with A, D215 may be substituted with S, and/orN213 and N214 may each independently be substituted with G or S. D117,T118, K122, Y125, D126, R133, E135, T139, K140, G199, N213, N214, D215,F218 and G227 of SEQ ID NO: 34 correspond to D371, T372, K376, Y379,D380, R387, E389, T393, K394, G453, N467, N468, D469, F472 and G481 ofthe full length GspD amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 32.

The secretin domain of the modified GspD secretin nanopore may comprisea secretin domain having an amino acid sequence that is at least 95%identical to an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 33,wherein: (i) all or some of the amino acids from D132 or T133 to T154are deleted or substituted, one or more of K137, D141, R148 and E150 issubstituted with an uncharged amino acid and/or one or more of D132,T133, T154 and K155 is substituted with P; and/or (ii) F233 issubstituted with a smaller amino acid, N228 and/or N229 is/aresubstituted with a smaller amino acid, D230 is substituted with anuncharged amino acid, G214 and G242 are each independently unmodified orsubstituted with A or V. For example, in the modified secretin GspDnanopore Y140 to R148 may deleted and/or substituted with GSG or SGS,F233 may be substituted with A, D230 may be substituted with S, and/orN228 and N229 may each independently be substituted with G or S. D132,T133, K137, Y140, D141, R148, E150, T154, K155, G214, N228, N229, D230,F233 and G242 of SEQ ID NO: 33 correspond to D371, T372, K376, Y379,D380, R387, E389, T393, K394, G453, N467, N468, D469, F472 and G481 ofthe full length GspD amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 32. Forexample, in one aspect, a modified InvG nanopore subunit polypeptidecomprises an amino acid sequence that is at least 95% identical to theamino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 (corresponding to theamino acid sequence of InvG without N1 or NO domain), wherein themodified InvG nanopore subunit polypeptide comprises one or more aminoacid modifications (e.g., charge-altering amino acid modifications) atamino acid(s) selected from D28, E41, E114, Q45, E225, R226, and E231 ofSEQ ID NO: 1. The one or more amino acid modifications (e.g.,charge-altering amino acid modifications) may comprise one or more ofthe following: (i) D28N/Q/T/S/G/R/K; (ii) E225N/Q/T/A/S/G/P/H/F/Y/R/K;(iii) R226N/Q/T/A/S/G/P/H/F/Y/K/V; (iv) Deletion of E225; (v) Deletionof R226; and (vi) E231N/Q/T/A/S/G/P/H/R/K. Other amino acidmodifications may include, but are not limited to (i) Q45R/K; (ii)E41N/Q/T/S/G/R/K; and/or (iii) E114N/Q/T/S/G/R/K. Such amino acidmodifications may enhance capture of an analyte, e.g. a polynucleotide,by the nanopore (e.g. mutations at D28, E41, E114 and/or Q45) and/orimprove the interaction of an analyte, e.g. a polynucleotide, with theconstriction of the nanopore (e.g. mutations at E225 and/or R226). Inanother aspect, a modified InvG nanopore subunit polypeptide comprisesan amino acid sequence that is at least 95% identical to the amino acidsequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2 (corresponding to the amino acidsequence of WT InvG including N1 and NO domains), wherein the modifiedInvG nanopore subunit polypeptide comprises one or more amino acidmodifications (e.g., charge-altering amino acid modifications) at aminoacid(s) selected from D199, E212, E285, Q216, E396, R397, and E402 ofSEQ ID NO: 2. Non-limiting examples of such amino acid modificationsinclude: (i) D199N/Q/T/S/G/R/K; (ii) E396N/Q/T/A/S/G/P/H/F/Y/R/K; (iii)R397N/Q/T/A/S/G/P/H/F/Y/K/V; (iv) Deletion of E396; (v) Deletion ofR397; (vi) E402N/Q/T/A/S/G/P/H/R/K. Other amino acid modifications mayinclude, but are not limited to (i) Q216R/K; (ii) E212N/Q/T/S/G/R/K; and(iii) E285N/Q/T/S/G/R/K. Such amino acid modifications may enhancecapture of an analyte, e.g. a polynucleotide, by the nanopore (e.g.mutations at D199, E212, E285 and/or Q216) and/or improve theinteraction of an analyte, e.g. a polynucleotide, with the constrictionof the nanopore (e.g. mutations at E396 and/or R397).

A further aspect features a modified InvG nanopore subunit polypeptidethat comprises an endopeptidase cleavage site. In this aspect, themodified InvG nanopore subunit polypeptide comprises an amino acidsequence that is at least 95% identical to the amino acid sequence asset forth in SEQ ID NO: 2 (corresponding to the amino acid sequence ofWT InvG including N1 and NO domains), wherein an endopeptidase cleavagesite is inserted between positions 170 and 171 or 171 and 172 of SEQ IDNO: 2. In some embodiments, the modified InvG nanopore subunitpolypeptide may further comprise one or more amino acid modifications(e.g., charge-altering amino acid modifications) at amino acid(s)selected from D199, E212, E285, Q216, E396, R397, and E402 of SEQ ID NO:2. Non-limiting examples of such amino acid modifications include: (i)D199N/Q/T/S/G/R/K; (ii) E396N/Q/T/A/S/G/P/H/F/Y/R/K; (iii)R397N/Q/T/A/S/G/P/H/F/Y/K/V; (iv) Deletion of E396; (v) Deletion ofR397; (vi) E402N/Q/T/A/S/G/P/H/R/K. Other amino acid modifications mayinclude, but are not limited to (i) Q216R/K; (ii) E212N/Q/T/S/G/R/K; and(iii) E285N/Q/T/S/G/R/K.

A further aspect of the present disclosure provides a compositioncomprising a secretin nanopore and an enzyme provided within the lumenof the nanopore. The composition may be disposed within a membrane.

Also within the scope of the present disclosure are apparatuses, forexample, for use in characterizing a target analyte, e.g., a targetpolynucleotide. The apparatus may comprise a chamber housing an aqueoussolution having disposed therein a membrane comprising any embodiment ofthe secretin nanopores described herein.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may further comprise an analytepresent in the aqueous solution. Exemplary analytes include, but are notlimited to polynucleotides, polypeptides, and/or ligands. In someembodiments where the apparatus comprises a polynucleotide in theaqueous solution, the apparatus can further comprise a polynucleotidebinding protein, including, e.g., but not limited to a helicase,exonuclease, or polymerase, which is optionally bound to thepolynucleotide. The polynucleotide binding protein may be on thecis-side or trans-side of the membrane, for example, being in contact(via, e.g., ionic and/or hydrophobic interactions) with or covalentlyattached to the cis-opening or trans-opening of the nanopore.

The modified secretin nanopores and apparatuses as described herein canbe used for various biosensor or analyte detection applications, but notlimited to polynucleotide sequencing and/or protein detection.Accordingly, methods for using the modified secretin nanopores andapparatuses are also provided herein. For example, the method comprisesobtaining an embodiment of the apparatus as described herein and addingan analyte to the aqueous solution on the cis-side or the trans-side ofthe membrane disposed in the apparatus. In some embodiments, the methodfurther comprises inducing ionic current flow through the nanopore byapplying a voltage gradient across the membrane. In some embodiments,the method further comprises detecting ionic current flow through thenanopore under the applied voltage gradient, which can be used todetermine the presence of the analyte.

Where the method is used for polynucleotide characterization, the methodcan further comprise adding a polynucleotide binding protein (e.g., ahelicase, exonuclease, and/or polymerase) in the aqueous solution on thecis-side or the trans-side of the membrane. In some embodiments, thepolynucleotide binding protein may be bound to the polynucleotideanalyte and optionally interact with the cis-opening or trans-opening ofthe nanopore via, for example non-covalent interactions (e.g., ionicand/or hydrophobic interactions) and/or covalent attachment.

The details of one or more embodiments of the disclosure are set forthin the description below. Other features or advantages of the presentdisclosure will be apparent from the following drawings and detaileddescription of several embodiments, and also from the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following drawings form part of the present specification and areincluded to further demonstrate certain aspects of the presentdisclosure, which can be better understood by reference to one or moreof these drawings in combination with the detailed description ofspecific embodiments presented herein.

FIG. 1A shows Cry-EM structures of the injectisome basal body andisolated secretin. (Left panel) Central slice view of basal bodyreconstruction (dark-grey contoured as in a and light-grey contoured atlower level to highlight less-ordered features) and isolated secretin(blue). The domain annotation of PrgH, PrgK and InvG is overlaid on theleft and the structures of the monomeric domains previously solved onthe right. The PrgH cytoplasmic D1 domain (green, bottom left) is notpresent in the PrgH₁₃₀₋₃₉₂ mutant used in this study and its preciselocation with respect to the basal body is unclear. The transmembranehelices of PrgH (N-terminal) and PrgK (C-terminal) and the PrgKN-terminal lipidation are present but diffusely ordered. (Right panel)Refined structures for InvG₁₇₂₋₅₅₇ (blue), PrgH₁₇₁₋₃₆₄ (green),PrgK₂₀₋₂₀₃ (orange) and Rosetta-modeled InvG₃₄₋₁₇₁ (pale blue). Onemonomer encompassing InvG₃₄₋₅₅₇ is colored according to structuraldomains: medium blue, N0-N1 domains; cobalt blue, N3 domain; cyan, outerβ-sheet; green, inner β-sheet; orange, secretin domain lip; red, Sdomain (note the displaced interaction with the β-sheet of the i+1 andi+2 promoters).

FIG. 1B shows secondary structure topology of a wild-type InvG172_557secretin. β-strands of the secretin domain are numbered, with 1, 3a/3b,8 and 9 forming the outer β-barrel; 4-7 forming the inner β-barrel; and1, 2 and 3a forming the lip of the β-barrel. Strand 3 is broken into 3aand 3b by the conserved residue Pro371. The numerical values indicatedat both ends of each domain define the first and last amino acidpositions of the domain based on SEQ ID NO: 2.

FIG. 1C shows secondary structure topologies of a wild-type InvGsecretin from Salmonella enterica (e.g., based on SEQ ID NO: 2) and awild-type GspD secretin from Vibrio cholerae from positions 97-646 ofSEQ ID NO: 10. The figure shows different domains and dimensions of thecis and trans openings of the InvG nanopore and GspD nanopore. Theorientation of the nanopores is such that the OM region of the nanopores(as in the native state) is situated in the membrane as describedherein.

FIG. 1D shows structures of GspD from Vibrio cholerae (PDB: 5wq8) and E.coli (PDB: 5wq7). One subunit of each GspD structure is colored in cyan.

FIGS. 2A-2B show a comparison of a CsgG (FIG. 2A) nanopore with an InvGnanopore (FIG. 2B). The top structure shows the top view of CsgG andInvG nanopores, while the bottom structure shows the side view of CsgGand InvG nanopores. A CsgG nanopore has 9 monomers or subunits and anInvG nanopore has 15 monomers or subunits. However, both CsgG and InvGnanopores have a constriction within the lumen that is roughly the samein diameter.

FIG. 3 shows the InvG and CsgG nanopore profiles. The X axis shows theinternal pore radius profiles of InvG and CsgG nanopores: −60 (membraneside/trans opening) and +60 (cis opening) are arbitrary numbers for theheight of the pore. 0 is the mid-point. The Y axis shows the actualradius of the lumen of the pore in angstrom for each position of the Xaxis.

FIG. 4 shows a comparison of the constrictions of CsgG and InvGnanopores. The top row shows the side view of the CsgG and InvGnanopores. The bottom row shows the amino acids present within theconstriction of CsgG and InvG pores. While both CsgG and InvG nanoporeshave a constriction of roughly the same in diameter, the constriction ofthe CsgG nanopore has 3 amino acids at positions 51, 55, and 56 (basedon the wild type sequence) and the InvG nanopore constriction has twoamino acids at position 396 and 397 (based on SEQ ID NO: 2).

FIG. 5 shows the relative size of a polynucleotide binding protein(e.g., a DNA binding enzyme such as a helicase or polymerase) versusCsgG and InvG nanopores. Since the opening of the InvG nanopore is muchwider than that of the CsgG nanopore, the polynucleotide binding protein(e.g., a DNA binding enzyme such as a helicase or polymerase) mayinteract with the InvG and CsgG nanopores in different orientations.

FIG. 6 shows the top views (from different perspectives) of apolynucleotide binding protein (e.g., a DNA binding enzyme such as ahelicase or polymerase) interacting with an InvG nanopore. In the leftpanel, the inner dotted line corresponds to the lower dotted line in theInvG (right panel) of FIG. 4 and the outer dotted line corresponds tothe upper dotted line in the InvG (right panel) of FIG. 4 .

FIG. 7 shows exemplary combinations of mutations in InvG subunitpolypeptide that can be used to form a nanopore. The amino acidpositions indicated in the figure are based on SEQ ID NO: 2.

FIG. 8 shows the relative positions of the mutations as shown in FIG. 7in an InvG nanopore. While the nanopore does not have N0 or N1 domains,the amino acid positions indicated in the figure are based on SEQ ID NO:2.

FIGS. 9A-9B show the structural homology between GspD (FIG. 9B) and InvG(FIG. 9A) secretin nanopores.

FIG. 10 shows the amino acid sequences of GspD from Vibrio cholerae andhighlights the regions of amino acid sequence that are missing from thecrystal structure, i.e. for which the crustal structure has not beendetermined in the art. The amino acid positions indicated in the figureare based on SEQ ID NO: 32.

FIG. 11 shows the domain structure of GspD from Vibrio cholerae. Theamino acid positions indicated in the figure are based on SEQ ID NO: 32.

FIG. 12 shows the structure of GspD from Vibrio cholerae and highlightsthe positions of the N3 constriction site and the cap and central gates.The amino acid positions indicated in the figure are based on SEQ ID NO:32.

FIG. 13 shows the kink formed by G453 and G481 in the amino acidsequence of GspD from Vibrio cholerae.

FIGS. 14A-14B show electrophysiological characteristics of theGspD-Vch-(WT-del(1-239)/(265-282)-H6(C) mutant which was used as abaseline. FIG. 14A) Open pore current at −180 mV in 500 mM KCl, 25 mMPhosphate buffer, pH 7. FIG. 14B) IV curve ranging from −25 mV to −200mV and 25 mV to 200 mV in 25 mV alternating potential steps.

FIGS. 15A-15G show IV characteristics of different GspD mutants rangingfrom −25 mV to −200 mV and 25 mV to 200 mV in 25 mV alternatingpotential steps. FIG. 15A) GspD-Vch-(WT-del(1-239)/(265-282)-H6(C). FIG.15B) GspD-Vch-(WT-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)/(Y379-GSG-R387)). FIG.15C) GspD-Vch-(WT-F472A-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))). FIG. 15D)GspD-Vch-(WT-D469S-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))). FIG. 15E)GspD-Vch-(WT-N467G/N468S-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))). FIG. 15F)GspD-Vch-(WT-N467S/N468G-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))). FIG. 15G)GspD-Vch-(WT-N467G/N468S/D469S-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))).

FIGS. 16A-16C show DNA translocation through theGspD-Vch-(WT-del(1-239)/(265-282)-H6(C) mutant. FIG. 16A) Open porecurrent at −180 mV in 470 mM KCL, 25 mM HEPES, 11 mM ATP and 10 mMMgCl2, pH8.0. FIG. 16B) Addition of Lambda 3.6 kb DNA ligated to adaptershows clear noisy patterns in the current trace. There is an increase incurrent spikes when DNA is inside the pore. FIG. 16C) Zoomed in image ofthe noisy pattern show a drop in open pore current which is the DNAtranslocating through the pore.

FIGS. 17A-17B are a model of biotinylated static strands boundmonovalent streptavidin inside the GspD pore. FIG. 17A) Streptavidinmolecule in top of the pore. FIG. 17B) Streptavidin molecule inside thepore above the constriction gate.

FIGS. 18A-18E show the capture of streptavidin bound biotinylated staticstrands by the GspD-Vch-(WT-N467G/N468S-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))). FIG. 18A) Static strands experiment runfor 1 hour in single GspD pore starting with control open poreexperiment for 15 minutes and flushing three static strands, ONLA19798,AH71 and AH72 respectively after 15 minutes through the chip. FIG. 18B)Open pore control trace with current around 250 pA. FIG. 18C) Additionof ONLA19798 shows the capture of static strand from the open poreinstantly. FIG. 18D) Addition of AH71 shows the capture of static strandfrom the open pore. FIG. 18E) Addition of AH72 also shows the capture ofstatic strand.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEQUENCES

SEQ ID NO: 1 is the 391 amino acid sequence of truncated InvG fromSalmonella enterica (Full length InvG without N0 and N1 domains).

SEQ ID NO: 2 is the 572 amino acid sequence of Wild-type InvG fromSalmonella enterica (Full length InvG including N0 and N1 domains). Thefirst 171 amino acids correspond to the N0 and N1 domains.

SEQ ID NO: 3 is the amino acid sequence of wild-type InvG fromSalmonella enterica in which a TEV cleavage site (ENLYFQG) has beenadded at amino acids 172 to 178 after the N1 and N2 domains (the first171 amino acids).

SEQ ID NO: 4 is the amino acid sequence of GspD from Escherichia coli(strain K12) (>sp|P45758|GSPD_ECOLI type II secretion system protein DOS=Escherichia coli (strain K12) GN=gspD PE=2 SV=2).

SEQ ID NO: 5 is the amino acid sequence of >tr|Q7BRZ9|Q7BRZ9_YERENSecretin YscC OS=Yersinia enterocolitica GN=yscC PE=3 SV=1.

SEQ ID NO: 6 is the amino acid sequence of >sp|Q04641|MXID_SHIFL Outermembrane protein MxiD OS=Shigella flexneri GN=mxiD PE=1 SV=1.

SEQ ID NO: 7 is the amino acid sequenceof >tr|A0A1C6ZHG5|A0A1C6ZHG5_PSEAI Type III secretion outer membraneprotein PscC OS=Pseudomonas aeruginosa GN=pscC PE=3 SV=1.

SEQ ID NO: 8 is the amino acid sequence of >tr|B7UMB3|B7UMB3_ECO27 T3SSstructure protein EscC OS=Escherichia coli 0127:H6 (strainE2348/69/EPEC) GN=escC PE=1 SV=1.

SEQ ID NO: 9 is the amino acid sequence of >sp|DOZWR9|SPIA_SALT1 TypeIII secretion system outer membrane protein SpiA OS=Salmonellatyphimurium (strain 14028s/SGSC 2262) GN=spiA PE=2 SV=1.

SEQ ID NO: 10 is the amino acid sequenceof >tr|A0A1E4UJH6|A0A1E4UJH6_VIBCL Type II secretion system protein GspDOS=Vibrio cholerae GN=BFX10_13405 PE=4 SV=1.

SEQ ID NO: 11 is the amino acid sequence of >sp|P15644|GSPD_KLEPN TypeII secretion system protein D OS=Klebsiella pneumoniae GN=pulD PE=1SV=1.

SEQ ID NO: 12 is the amino acid sequence of >tr|X5F782|X5F782_NEIME TypeIV pilus assembly protein PilQ OS=Neisseria meningitidis GN=pilQ PE=3SV=1.

SEQ ID NO: 13 is the amino acid sequence of >WP_071651540.1EscC/YscC/HrcC family type III secretion system outer membrane ringprotein [Salmonella enterica]—97% identity to SEQ ID NO: 2.

SEQ ID NO: 14 is the amino acid sequence of >WP_038392434.1 type IIIsecretion system outer membrane pore InvG [Salmonella bongori]—94%identity to SEQ ID NO: 2.

SEQ ID NO: 15 is the amino acid sequence of >WP_043640872.1 type IIIsecretion system outer membrane pore InvG [Chromobacteriumhaemolyticum]—69% identity to SEQ ID NO: 2.

SEQ ID NO: 16 is the amino acid sequence of >WP_059765897.1 type IIIsecretion system outer membrane pore InvG [Burkholderia ubonensis]—67%identity to SEQ ID NO: 2.

SEQ ID NO: 17 is the amino acid sequence of >WP_036979259.1 type IIIsecretion system outer membrane pore InvG [Providenciaalcalifaciens]—64% identity to SEQ ID NO: 2.

SEQ ID NO: 18 is the amino acid sequence of >WP_051238518.1 type IIIsecretion system outer membrane pore InvG [Pseudogulbenkianiaferrooxidans]—61% identity to SEQ ID NO: 2.

SEQ ID NO: 19 is the amino acid sequence of >WP_070981539.1EscC/YscC/HrcC family type III secretion system outer membrane ringprotein [Chromobacterium vaccinii]—61% identity to SEQ ID NO: 2.

SEQ ID NO: 20 is the amino acid sequence of >WP_052429256.1 type IIIsecretion system outer membrane pore InvG [Salmonella enterica]—60%identity to SEQ ID NO: 2.

SEQ ID NO 21 is the amino acid sequence of >WP_021564153.1EscC/YscC/HrcC family type III secretion system outer membrane ringprotein [Escherichia coli]—59% identity to SEQ ID NO: 2.

SEQ ID NO: 22 is the amino acid sequence of >WP_024250244.1 type IIIsecretion system outer membrane pore InvG [Shigella dysenteriae]—56%identity to SEQ ID NO: 2.

SEQ ID NO: 23 is the amino acid sequence of >WP_000694679.1 type IIIsecretion system outer membrane pore InvG [Escherichia coli]—53%identity to SEQ ID NO: 2.

SEQ ID NO: 24 is the amino acid sequence of >WP_061203566.1EscC/YscC/HrcC family type III secretion system outer membrane ringprotein [Stenotrophomonas rhizophila]—52% identity to SEQ ID NO: 2.

SEQ ID NO: 25 is the amino acid sequence of >WP_016498773.1EscC/YscC/HrcC family type III secretion system outer membrane ringprotein [Pseudomonas putida]—52% identity to SEQ ID NO: 2.

SEQ ID NO: 26 is the amino acid sequence of >ANI31722.1 type IIIsecretion system outer membrane pore InvG [Yersinia entomophaga]—50%identity to SEQ ID NO: 2.

SEQ ID NO: 27 is the amino acid sequence of >WP_053215251.1EscC/YscC/HrcC family type III secretion system outer membrane ringprotein [Yersinia nurmii]—49% identity to SEQ ID NO: 2.

SEQ ID NO: 28 is the amino acid sequence of >WP_034249407.1EscC/YscC/HrcC family type III secretion system outer membrane ringprotein [Arsenophonus nasoniae]—46% identity to SEQ ID NO: 2.

SEQ ID NO: 29 is the amino acid sequence of >WP_006122201.1EscC/YscC/HrcC family type III secretion system outer membrane ringprotein [Pantoea stewartii]—42% identity to SEQ ID NO: 2.

SEQ ID NO: 30 is the amino acid sequence of >KJO55878.1 type IIIsecretion system protein [[Enterobacter] aerogenes]—41% identity to SEQID NO: 2.

SEQ ID NO: 31 is the amino acid sequence of GspD of Vibrio cholerae,including the leader sequence.

SEQ ID NO: 32 is the mature amino acid sequence of GspD of Vibriocholerae.

SEQ ID NO: 33 is the sequence of the N3, secretin and S domains of GspDof Vibrio cholerae (amino acids 1 to 239 of SEQ ID NO: 32 deleted).

SEQ ID NO: 34 is the sequence of the N3, secretin and S domains of GspDof Vibrio cholerae in which the construction in the N3 domain has beenremoved by substituting amino acids Y379 to R387 of SEQ ID NO: 32 withthe amino acids GSG.

SEQ ID NO: 35 is the sequence of the secretin and S domains of GspD ofVibrio cholerae.

SEQ ID NO: 36 is the sequence of the secretin domain of GspD of Vibriocholerae. SEQ ID NO: 37 is the sequence of >tr|A7ZRJ5|A7ZRJ5_ECO24General secretion pathway protein D OS=Escherichia coli O139:H28 (strainE24377A/ETEC) GN=gspD PE=1 SV=1.

SEQ ID NO: 38 is the sequence of >sp|P31780|GSPD_AERHY Type II secretionsystem protein D OS=Aeromonas hydrophila GN=exeD PE=3 SV=2.

SEQ ID NO: 39 is the sequence of >sp|P35818|GSPD_PSEAE Type II secretionsystem protein D OS=Pseudomonas aeruginosa (strain ATCC 15692/DSM22644/CIP 104116/JCM 14847/LMG 12228/1C/PRS 101/PAO1) GN=xcpQ PE=1 SV=1.

SEQ ID NO: 40 is the sequence of >tr|A0A181X688|A0A181X688_KLEOX Generalsecretion pathway protein D OS=Klebsiella oxytoca GN=pulD PE=3 SV=1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Certain transmembrane pores (e.g., protein nanopores or solid statenanopores) are useful as sensors to detect or characterize a biopolymer.The structure of the transmembrane pore, particularly the lumen of thepore, affects the interaction between the biopolymer and the pore andhence the information that can be derived from a signal generated as thebiopolymer interacts with the pore. Accordingly, there is a need toidentify new transmembrane nanopores that are capable of capturing andtranslocating an analyte, e.g., a negatively-charged or hydrophobicbiopolymer such as a polynucleotide or protein. The present disclosureprovides, for the first time, that secretin nanopores are useful forpractical applications such as polynucleotide mapping or sequencing, orprotein detection.

While transmembrane pores (e.g., protein nanopores or solid statenanopores) are useful as sensors to detect or characterize a biopolymer,translocation of a biopolymer, e.g., a polynucleotide through certainnanopores could be challenging, e.g., because of a large electrostaticbarrier for the entry of a biopolymer into the nanopore. Accordingly,there is a need to engineer transmembrane nanopores that permit moreefficient capture and/or translocation of an analyte, e.g., anegatively-charged or hydrophobic biopolymer such as a polynucleotide orprotein, across the nanopores, which can be useful for practicalapplications such as polynucleotide mapping or sequencing or proteindetection.

The present disclosure relates to modified secretin nanopores and itssubunit polypeptides, compositions or apparatuses comprising the same,and uses thereof. In some aspects, the present disclosure providesmodified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide (e.g., for forming amodified secretin nanopore) and nanopores comprising the same. Thesecretin nanopores and modified secretin nanopores as described hereincan be used for various practical applications such as characterizing ananalyte, e.g., a target polynucleotide or polypeptide. Accordingly,described herein are also methods and compositions for characterizing ananalyte, e.g., a target polynucleotide or polypeptide.

In some embodiments of any aspects described herein, the cis and transopenings of the secretin nanopores are of a size such that an enzyme maybe able to enter the lumenal cavity. The enzyme may be immobilizedwithin the cavity, for example, by binding or attaching to the lumenalsurface of the nanopore or otherwise provided within the lumenal cavityin a non-immobilized fashion. Thus, one aspect of the present disclosurealso relates to compositions comprising a secretin nanopore and anenzyme provided within the lumen. The secretin nanopore may be of thewild type or a mutant or modified form as described in more detailbelow. The enzyme may be present in the cis vestibule or the transvestibule of the nanopore, wherein the cis vestibule may be defined asthe part of the lumen extending from the cis opening to the constrictionof the nanopore and wherein the trans vestibule may be defined as thepart of the lumen extending from the trans opening to the constrictionof the nanopore. Such compositions may be used to detect small moleculesthat bind to or otherwise interact with the enzyme. The interaction ofsuch small molecules with the enzyme may result in a change in ioncurrent flow through the nanopore, for example by a change ofconformation of the enzyme.

Modified Secretin Nanopore Subunit Polypeptides

Some aspects of the present disclosure provide modified secretinnanopore subunit polypeptides. A modified secretin nanopore subunitpolypeptide is a polypeptide whose sequence varies from that of areference secretin amino acid sequence. The amino acid sequence of themodified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide comprises (i) a cisopening-forming amino acid sequence, (ii) a lumen-forming amino acidsequence, and (iii) a trans opening-forming amino acid sequence. The cisopening-forming amino acid sequence is one or more portions of the aminoacid sequence that forms part of a cis opening of a nanopore when themodified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide interacts with othersubunit polypeptides to form the nanopore in a membrane. Thelumen-forming amino acid sequence is one or more portions of the aminoacid sequence that forms part of a lumen of the nanopore when themodified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptides interacts with othersubunit polypeptides to form the nanopore in a membrane. The transopening-forming amino acid sequence is one or more portions of the aminoacid sequence that forms part of a trans opening of a nanopore when themodified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide interacts with othersubunit polypeptides to form the nanopore in a membrane. Methods toidentify portions of the secretin amino acid sequence that form the cisopening, lumen, and trans opening of a secretin nanopore are known inthe art. For example, a nanopore, a portion of which is embedded into amembrane can be constructed by homology modelling from a known secretinstructure using VMD, e.g., as described in Humphrey et al., “VMD: VisualMolecular Dynamics” J. Mol. Graphics (1996) 14: 33-38; and NAMD, e.g.,as described in Phillips et al., “Scalable Molecular Dynamics with NAMD”J. Comput. Chem. (2005) 26: 1781-1802. See, e.g., FIG. 1D showsstructures of GspD from Vibrio cholerae (PDB: 5wq8) and E. coli (PDB:5wq7); and FIG. 8 shows a structure of an InvG nanopore and itsdifferent protein domains as well as the corresponding positions ofexample amino acid modifications within the lumen of the nanopore.

As used herein, the term “reference secretin amino acid sequence” refersto a known amino acid sequence of a secretin nanopore subunit. Variousforms of secretin nanopore subunits are known in the art, including,e.g., but not limited to any secretin subunit of a type II, type III, ortype IV secretion system. Non-limiting examples of a type II secretionsystem include GspD, PulD, and pIV. Examples of a type III secretionsystem include, but are not limited to InvG, MxiD, YscC, PscC, EscC, andSpiA. Non-limiting examples of a type IV secretion system include PilQ.A reference secretin amino acid sequence can be a known amino acidsequence of a member of a type II, type III, or type IV secretion systemor a portion thereof. For example, a reference secretin amino acidsequence may be an amino acid sequence corresponding to at least aportion of wild type GspD, PulD, pIV, PilQ, InvG, MxiD, YscC, PscC,EscC, SpiA, ExeD or XcpQ wherein the portion comprises one or more of asecretin domain, a S domain, a N2 domain, a N3 domain and/or anotherrelated domain. For example, in some embodiments, the portion maycomprise a secretin domain, a S domain, and a N3 domain. In someembodiments, the portion may comprise a secretin domain, a S domain, aN3 domain, and a N2 domain. In some embodiments, the portion maycomprise a secretin domain and a S domain. Different domains of secretinnanopores are known in the art. For example, FIG. 1C shows differentdomains of an InvG from Salmonella enterica and GspD from Vibriocholerae. In some embodiments, a reference secretin amino acid sequencemay be an amino acid sequence corresponding to a full-length wild typeGspD (e.g., as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 4, SEQ ID NO: 10, SEQ ID NO: 31or SEQ ID NO: 37 (all including signal sequences), or SEQ ID NO: 32(without leader peptide)), PulD (e.g., as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 11 orSEQ ID NO: 40), pIV, PilQ (e.g., as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 12), InvG(e.g., as set forth in SEQ ID Nos: 2 and 13-30), MxiD (e.g., as setforth in SEQ ID NO: 6), YscC (e.g., as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5), PscC(e.g., as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 7), EscC (e.g., as set forth in SEQ IDNO: 8), SpiA (e.g., as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 9), ExeD (e.g. as setforth in SEQ ID NO: 38), or XcpQ (e.g. as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 39) asknown in the art. In some embodiments, a reference secretin amino acidsequence may be an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID Nos. 1-40.In some embodiments, a reference secretin amino acid sequence may be anamino acid sequence of a wild-type InvG nanopore subunit polypeptide ora mutant thereof, e.g., as described in Worrall et al.“Near-Atomic-Resolution Cryo-EM analysis of the Salmonella T3SInjectisome Basal Body” Nature (2016) 540: 597-601. In some embodiments,a reference secretin amino acid sequence may be an amino acid sequenceof a GspD nanopore subunit polypeptide or a mutant thereof, e.g., asdescribed in Yan et al. “Structural insights into the secretintranslocation channel in the type II secretion system” Nature Structural& Molecular Biology (2017) doi:10.1038/nsmb.3350. Any natural secretinsequences or variant thereof that are known in the art can be used as areference secretin amino acid sequence.

In some embodiments, the reference secretin amino acid sequence may bean amino acid sequence corresponding to the secretin domain, secretinand S domains, or secretin, S and N3 domains of the secretin, such aswild type GspD (e.g., as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 36, SEQ ID NO: 35 orSEQ ID NO: 33) or an amino acid sequence corresponding to the secretin,S and N3 domains of GspD in which the constriction site in the N3 domainis deleted or substituted (e.g., as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 34). Anynatural truncated secretin sequences or variants thereof that form apore can be used as a reference secretin amino acid sequence.

Accordingly, in some embodiments, a modified secretin nanopore subunitpolypeptide has an amino acid sequence that is different from an aminoacid sequence of any natural secretin, for example any of the referencesecretin amino acid sequences (e.g., any of SEQ ID NOs: 1-40) andcomprises one or more (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13,14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, ormore and up to 40) amino acid modifications relative to the selectednatural secretin, for example relative to any of the reference secretinamino acid sequence (e.g., relative to any one of SEQ ID NOs: 1-40). Forexample, a modified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide may comprisean amino acid sequence that is at least about 40% (including, e.g., atleast about 50%, at least about 55%, at least about 60%, at least about65%, at least about 70%, at least about 75%, at least about 80%, atleast about 85%, at least about 90%, at least about 95%, or higher)identical to an amino acid sequence of a natural secretin, for example,any of the reference secretin amino acid sequence (e.g., any of SEQ IDNos: 1-40) or any structural or functional fragment thereof (e.g., anyfragment, portion, or domain of a secretin described herein, e.g., anyfragment, portion, or domain as illustrated in FIG. 1A or 1B), andincludes at least one or more (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29,30, or more and up to 40) amino acid modifications relative to a naturalsecretin, for example relative to a reference secretin (e.g., relativeto any one of SEQ ID NOs: 1-40) or any structural or functional fragmentthereof (e.g., any fragment, portion, or domain of a secretin describedherein, e.g., any fragment, portion, or domain as illustrated in FIG. 1Aor 1B). The amino acid modification(s) can be selected, for example, topromote membrane integration, promote oligomerization, promote subunitsynthesis, promote nanopore stability, promote analyte capture, promoteanalyte release, promote analyte translocation through a nanopore,improve analyte detection or signal quality, facilitate polymer analysis(e.g., polynucleotide sequences), etc. In some embodiments, the aminoacid modification(s) may comprise modification(s) to promote analytecapture into a nanopore, to promote analyte translocation through ananopore, and/or to improve analyte detection such as to improve signalquality. Examples of such amino acid modification(s) include but are notlimited to positively-charged substitutions and hydrophobic amino acidsubstitutions as described herein.

Standard methods in the art may be used to determine homology. Forexample the UWGCG Package provides the BESTFIT program which can be usedto calculate homology, for example used on its default settings(Devereux et al (1984) Nucleic Acids Research 12, p 387-395). The PILEUPand BLAST algorithms can be used to calculate homology or line upsequences (such as identifying equivalent residues or correspondingsequences (typically on their default settings)), for example asdescribed in Altschul S. F. (1993) J Mol Evol 36:290-300; Altschul, S. Fet al (1990) J Mol Biol 215:403-10. Software for performing BLASTanalyses is publicly available through the National Center forBiotechnology Information (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/). Sequence identity may bedetermined by using a pairwise sequence alignment. Global alignmenttechniques such as the Needleman-Wunsch algorithm, or local alignmentmethods such as the Smith-Waterman algorithm may be used to determinesequence alignments. Various techniques exist to determine structuralhomology such as DALI, a distance matrix alignment for constructingstructural alignments ekhidna.biocenter.helsinki.fi/dali_server/start orSSAP (sequential structure alignment program), a dynamicprogramming-based method of structural alignment. An example of thelatter is CATH cathdb.info/.

In some embodiments, the modified secretin nanopore may comprise asubunit polypeptide having an amino acid sequence that is at least about40% (including, e.g., at least about 50%, at least about 55%, at leastabout 60%, at least about 65%, at least about 70%, at least about 75%,at least about 80%, at least about 85%, at least about 90%, at leastabout 95%, or higher) identical to the amino acid sequence correspondingto at least a portion of wild-type InvG secretin comprising the secretindomain, S domain, and N3 domain. In some embodiments, the InvG secretincan be obtained from any species, including, e.g., but not limited tobacteria such as Salmonella, Chromobacterium, Burkholderia, Providencia,Pseudogulbenkiania, Escherichia, Shigella, Stenotrophomonas,Pseudomonas, Yersinia, Arsenophonus, Pantoea, and Enterobacter. Theamino acid sequences of a full-length InvG secretin (including N0 and N1domains) from different species are set forth in SEQ ID Nos: 2 and 13-32and 37-40. In one embodiment, the InvG secretin can be obtained fromSalmonella. For example, in some embodiments, the modified secretinnanopore may comprise a subunit polypeptide having an amino acidsequence that is at least about 40% (including, e.g., at least about50%, at least about 55%, at least about 60%, at least about 65%, atleast about 70%, at least about 75%, at least about 80%, at least about85%, at least about 90%, at least about 95%, or higher) identical to theamino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1, which corresponds tothe wild-type InvG secretin from Salmonella without N1 or N0 domain; andincludes at least one or more (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29,30, or more and up to 40) amino acid modifications (e.g., as describedherein) relative to the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ IDNO: 1. Alternatively, the modified secretin nanopore may comprise asubunit polypeptide having an amino acid sequence that is at least about40% (including, e.g., at least about 50%, at least about 55%, at leastabout 60%, at least about 65%, at least about 70%, at least about 75%,at least about 80%, at least about 85%, at least about 90%, at leastabout 95%, or higher) identical to the amino acid sequence as set forthin SEQ ID NO: 2, which corresponds to the wild-type full-length InvGsecretin; and includes at least one or more (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25,26, 27, 28, 29, 30, or more and up to 40) amino acid modifications(e.g., as described herein) relative to the amino acid sequence as setforth in SEQ ID NO: 2. Without wishing to be bound by theory, removingthe N1 and NO domain of InvG secretin can improve signal-to-noise ratioof the modified secretin nanopores when they are used for detecting orcharacterizing an analyte, e.g., a target polynucleotide or polypeptide.

In some embodiments, the modified secretin nanopore may comprise asubunit polypeptide having an amino acid sequence that is at least about40% (including, e.g., at least about 50%, at least about 55%, at leastabout 60%, at least about 65%, at least about 70%, at least about 75%,at least about 80%, at least about 85%, at least about 90%, at leastabout 95%, or higher) identical to the amino acid sequence correspondingto at least a portion of a wild-type GspD secretin comprising thesecretin domain, S domain, and N3 domain. In some embodiments, the GspDsecretin can be obtained from any species, including, e.g., but notlimited to bacteria such as Vibrio, Escherichia, Aeromonas, Pseudomonas,and Klebsiella. The amino acid sequences of a full-length GspD secretin(including NO and N1 domains) from different species are set forth inSEQ ID Nos: 4, 10, 31, 32 and 37). In one embodiment, the GspD secretincan be obtained from Vibrio cholerae. For example, in some embodiments,the modified secretin nanopore may comprise a subunit polypeptide havingan amino acid sequence that is at least about 40% (including, e.g., atleast about 50%, at least about 55%, at least about 60%, at least about65%, at least about 70%, at least about 75%, at least about 80%, atleast about 85%, at least about 90%, at least about 95%, or higher)identical to the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 32, 33,34, 35 or 36. The modified secretin nanopore may comprise a subunitpolypeptide having an amino acid sequence that corresponds to the aminoacid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 32, 33, 34, 35 or 36 andincludes at least one or more (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29,30, or more and up to 40) amino acid modifications (e.g., as describedherein) relative to the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:32, 33, 34, 35 or 36. Alternatively, the GspD secretin can be obtainedfrom E. coli, or the type II secretin can be PulD, e.g. from Klebsiellaoxytoca, XcpQ, e.g. from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, or ExeD, e.g. fromAeromonas hydrophila. For example, in some embodiments, the modifiedsecretin nanopore may comprise a subunit polypeptide having an aminoacid sequence that is at least about 40% (including, e.g., at leastabout 50%, at least about 55%, at least about 60%, at least about 65%,at least about 70%, at least about 75%, at least about 80%, at leastabout 85%, at least about 90%, at least about 95%, or higher) identicalto the amino acid sequence as set forth in the mature portion of SEQ IDNO: 37, 38, 39 or 40, the N3, secretin and S domains of the amino acidsequences set forth in SEQ ID NO: 37, 38, 39 or 40, the secretin and Sdomains of the amino acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID NO: 37, 38, 39or 40, or the secretin domain of the amino acid sequences set forth inSEQ ID NO: 37, 38, 39 or 40. The modified secretin nanopore may comprisea subunit polypeptide having an amino acid sequence that corresponds tothe amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 32, 33, 34, 35 or 36and includes at least one or more (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28,29, 30, or more and up to 40) amino acid modifications (e.g., asdescribed herein) relative to the amino acid sequence as set forth inSEQ ID NO: 37, 38, 39 or 40, the N3, the secretin and S domains of theamino acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID NO: 37, 38, 39 or 40, thesecretin and S domains of the amino acid sequences set forth in SEQ IDNO: 37, 38, 39 or 40, or the secretin domain of the amino acid sequencesset forth in SEQ ID NO: 37, 38, 39 or 40. The amino acids of the N3,secretin and S domains in these SEQ ID NOs can be determined by aligningthe sequence with SEQ ID NO: 31 (as in the supplementary notes to Yan etal. “Structural insights into the secretin translocation channel in thetype II secretion system” Nature Structural & Molecular Biology (2017)doi:10.1038/nsmb.3350).

FIG. 1B shows the secondary structure topology of the wild-type InvGsecretin from positions 172-557 of SEQ ID NO: 2, where the numbereddomains correspond to β-strands and the regions between two numbereddomains (shown as a line with an arrowhead in FIG. 1B) correspond toloop regions. By way of example only, domain 4 (amino acids 381-393) anddomain 5 (amino acids 400-417) correspond to β strands, and the region(amino acids 393-400) between the domains 4 and 5 corresponds to a loopregion.

FIG. 11 shows the secondary structure topology of the wild-type GspDsecretin (SEQ ID NO: 32), showing the β-strands, α-helicies and loopregions.

FIG. 1C shows the secondary structure topologies of a wild-type InvGsecretin and a wild-type GspD secretin from Vibrio cholerae (frompositions 97-646 of SEQ ID NO: 10, or from SEQ D NO: 32). In the Vibriocholerae GspD amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 32, amino acids 1to 99 form the NO domain, amino acids 100 to 163 form the N1 domain,amino acids 164 to 238 form the N2 domain, amino acids 239 to 314 formthe N3 domain, amino acids 317 to 588 form the secretin domain and aminoacids 589 to 650 form the S domain.

In some embodiments, one or more amino acid modifications (e.g., 1, 2,3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22,23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, or more and up to 40 amino acidmodifications) can be made to one or more (e.g., 1, 2, 3, or 4)β-strands of the secretin domains that form the outer β-barrel (“outerβ-barrel-forming domains”), e.g., domains numbered 1, 3a/3b, 8, and 9 asshown in FIG. 1B, or β10, β11, β14, β15, β20 and β21 as shown in FIG. 11. In some embodiments, one or more amino acid modifications (e.g., 1, 2,3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22,23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, or more and up to 40 amino acidmodifications) can be made to one or more (e.g., 1, 2, 3, or 4) loopregions between the outer β-barrel-forming domains, for example, asshown in FIG. 1B or FIG. 11 . In some embodiments, at least one or moreamino acid modifications (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12,13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30,or more and up to 40 amino acid modifications) can be made to one ormore (e.g., 1, 2, 3, or 4) β-strands of the secretin domains that formthe inner β-barrel, (“inner β-barrel-forming domains”), e.g., domainsnumbered 4, 5, 6, and 7 as shown in FIG. 1B, or β16, β17, β18 and β19 asshown in FIG. 11 . In some embodiments, one or more amino acidmodifications (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15,16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, or more andup to 40 amino acid modifications) can be made to one or more (e.g., 1,2, 3, or 4) loop regions between the inner β-barrel-forming domains. Forexample, in some embodiments, one or more amino acid modifications(e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 amino acid modifications) can be madeto the loop region between the inner β-barrel-forming domains 4 and 5 asshown in FIG. 1B. For example, in some embodiments, one or more aminoacid modifications (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 amino acidmodifications) can be made to the loop region between the innerβ-barrel-forming β16 and β17 that forms the central gate as shown inFIG. 11 .

In some embodiments, at least one or more amino acid modifications(e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18,19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, or more and up to 40amino acid modifications) can be made to one or more (e.g., 1, 2, or 3)domains that form the lips of the β-barrel (“β-barrel lip-formingdomains”), e.g., domains numbered 1, 2, and 3a as shown in FIG. 1B, orβ12, β13, α7, α8 in FIG. 11 , which correspond to the β-strands thatform the trans-opening portion of the modified secretin nanoporedescribed herein. In some embodiments, one or more amino acidmodifications (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15,16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, or more andup to 40 amino acid modifications) can be made to one or more (e.g., 1,2, 3, or 4) loop regions between the β-barrel lip-forming domains. Forexample, in some embodiments, one or more amino acid modifications(e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 amino acid modifications) can be made to theloop region (amino acids 331-335) between the β-barrel lip-formingdomains 1 and 2 as shown in FIG. 1B or the loop between β12 and β13 (capgate) in FIG. 11 , which forms at least part of the trans-opening of themodified secretin nanopore described herein.

In some embodiments, one or more amino acid modifications (e.g., 1, 2,3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22,23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, or more and up to 40 amino acidmodifications) can be made to one or more β-strands and/or loop regionswithin the N3 domain as defined in FIG. 1B or FIG. 11 . For example, insome embodiments, one or more amino acid modifications (e.g., 1, 2, 3,4, or 5 amino acid modifications) can be made to the loop region definedby amino acids 216-268 of SEQ ID NO: 2. For example, in someembodiments, one or more amino acid modifications (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, or5 amino acid modifications) can be made to the constriction site in theN3 domain of GspD (e.g. amino acids N265 to E282 in SEQ ID NO: 32).

In some embodiments, at least one or more amino acid modifications(e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18,19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, or more and up to 40amino acid modifications) can be made to one or more β-strands and/orloop regions within the S domain as defined in FIG. 1B or FIG. 11 .

Accordingly, in some embodiments, the modified nanopore secretinnanopore may comprise a subunit polypeptide having (i) outerβ-barrel-forming domains of InvG or GspD secretin and/or loop regionsthere between; (ii) inner β-barrel-forming domains of InvG or GspDsecretin and/or loop regions there between; (iii) β-barrel lip-formingdomains of InvG or GspD secretin and/or loop regions there between, (iv)S domain of InvG or GspD secretin and/or loop regions there between; and(v) N3 domain of InvG or GspD secretin and/or loop regions therebetween, in which the β-strands and/or loop regions may have differentnumbers and/or types of amino acid modifications, e.g., depending ontheir locations within the nanopore and/or its degree of interactionwith an analyte and/or an enzyme. For example, the amino acid sequenceof each of the outer β-barrel-forming domains and/or loop regions therebetween may be each independently at least about 50% (including, e.g.,at least about 55%, at least about 60%, at least about 65%, at leastabout 70%, at least about 75%, at least about 80%, at least about 85%,at least about 90%, at least about 95%, or higher, including 100%)identical to the amino acid sequence of the corresponding domain as setforth in SEQ ID NO: 2, or SEQ ID NO: 4, 32 or 37. The amino acidsequence of each of the inner β-barrel-forming domains and/or loopregions there between may be each independently at least about 50%(including, e.g., at least about 55%, at least about 60%, at least about65%, at least about 70%, at least about 75%, at least about 80%, atleast about 85%, at least about 90%, at least about 95%, or higher,including 100%) identical to the amino acid sequence of thecorresponding domain as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, or SEQ ID NO: 4, 32or 37. The amino acid sequence of each of the β-barrel lip-formingdomains and/or loop regions there between may be each independently atleast about 50% (including, e.g., at least about 55%, at least about60%, at least about 65%, at least about 70%, at least about 75%, atleast about 80%, at least about 85%, at least about 90%, at least about95%, or higher, including 100%) identical to the amino acid sequence ofthe corresponding domain as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, or SEQ ID NO: 4,32 or 37. The amino acid sequence of each domain within the S domainand/or loop regions there between may be at least about 50% (including,e.g., at least about 55%, at least about 60%, at least about 65%, atleast about 70%, at least about 75%, at least about 80%, at least about85%, at least about 90%, at least about 95%, or higher, including 100%)identical to the amino acid sequence of the corresponding domain as setforth in SEQ ID NO: 2, or SEQ ID NO: 4, 32 or 37. The amino acidsequence of each domain within the N3 domain and/or loop regions therebetween may be at least about 50% (including, e.g., at least about 55%,at least about 60%, at least about 65%, at least about 70%, at leastabout 75%, at least about 80%, at least about 85%, at least about 90%,at least about 95%, or higher, including 100%) identical to the aminoacid sequence of the corresponding domain as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2,or SEQ ID NO: 4, 32 or 37. Each domain may have different percentages ofamino acid identity provided that the resulting modified domain does notadversely affect the capture and/or translocation of an analyte throughthe lumen of the modified nanopore. For example, in some embodiments,the outer β-barrel forming domains may permit a larger number of aminoacid mutations that result in less than 80% or lower (including, e.g.,less than 70%, less than 60%, less than 50%, less than 40%, less than30%, or lower) amino acid identity to the amino acid sequence of thecorresponding domain as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, or SEQ ID NO: 4, 32or 37, while the inner β-barrel forming domains maintain a higher aminoacid identity, for example, the amino acid sequence of the innerβ-barrel forming domains may be each independently at least about 80% orhigher (including at least about 85%, at least about 90%, at least about95% or higher, including 100%). In some embodiments, at least one loopregion of the N3 domain (e.g., a loop region defined by amino acids216-268 of SEQ ID NO: 2, or SEQ ID NO: 4, 32 or 37) may permit a largernumber of amino acid mutations (e.g., to improve enzyme/nanoporeinteraction) that result in less than 80% or lower (including, e.g.,less than 70%, less than 60%, less than 50%, less than 40%, less than30%, or lower) amino acid identity to the amino acid sequence of thecorresponding domain as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, or SEQ ID NO: 4, 32or 37, while the inner β-barrel forming domains maintain a higher aminoacid identity, for example, the amino acid sequence of the innerβ-barrel forming domains may be each independently at least about 80% orhigher (including at least about 85%, at least about 90%, at least about95% or higher, including 100%).

One of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that varioustypes of modifications to the secretin nanopores as described herein(e.g., but not limited to amino acid modifications to different domainsof secretin nanopores) can be applied to any other secretin nanoporesthat have a high structural homology to secretin nanopores as describedherein. By way of example only, SEQ ID Nos: 4 and 37, and 10, 31 and 32relate to GspD from Escherichia coli and Vibrio cholerae, respectively.The sequence identity between SEQ ID NO: 4 and SEQ ID NO: 10, forexample, is 41.6%, the sequence identity between the secretin domains ofSEQ ID NO: 4 and SEQ ID NO: 10, for example, is 44.2% and the similarityis 62.7% as calculated by pairwise alignment using the EMBOSS Needlenucleotide alignment algorithm provided by EMBL-EBIebi.ac.uk/Tools/psdemboss_needle/nucleotide.html. While the sequenceidentities between the two structures may be low, they share a highstructural homology because they both have similar structural domains,including, e.g., secretin domain, S domain, N3 domain, N2 domain, and N1domain.

Truncated secretin subunit polypeptides that lack the N-terminal domainsare capable of forming pores. Therefore the modified secretin nanoporeof the invention is, in some embodiments, a truncated secretin nanopore.The truncated secretin nanopore may typically comprise an N3 domain, asecretin domain and an S domain, a secretin domain and an S domain, or asecretin domain.

Thus, in some embodiments, the secretin nanopore subunit polypeptidecomprises a secretin domain comprising a beta barrel forming domaincomprising an inner barrel forming subdomain and an outer barrel formingsubdomain, each subdomain being composed of β-sheets, the outer barreltypically comprising about six β-sheets and/or the inner barreltypically comprising about four β-sheets. The outer beta barrel mayfurther comprise two α-helices, typically between two of the β-sheets,for example as shown in FIG. 11 . In a secretin nanopore, the outerbarrel typically spans the membrane and the inner barrel typically abutsthe lumen of the pore. The inner barrel typically comprises a centralgate. The central gate is typically a loop between two β-sheets thatform the inner barrel. The central gate typically extends into the poreto narrow the size of the pore. The central gate can be modified byaltering amino acids present in the central gate loop as describedherein to alter the properties of the pore. The central gate may beflexible, for example the central gate may be capable of opening. Thecentral gate may be rigid to maintain a constant constriction size, e.g.the central gate loop may be closed or partially closed. The beta barrelof the secretin nanopore may also comprise lips, wherein a first lipprotrudes from the membrane on the opposite side of the membrane to theinner beta barrel. The second lip may be on the other side of the innerbeta barrel to the first lip. The first lip of the beta barrel istypically composed of two α-helicies and two β-sheets. The β-sheets maybe joined by a loop region that forms a cap gate, or the loop joiningthe β-sheets may be short and not form a gate. The cap gate may beflexible, for example the cap gate may be capable of opening. The capgate may be rigid to maintain a constant constriction size, e.g. the capgate may be closed or partially closed. In some embodiments, the firstlip of the beta barrel may comprise no β-sheets and comprise twoα-helicies that are joined by a loop. In these embodiments the subunitpolypeptide forms a nanopore which does not comprise a cap gate. Thesecond lip of the beta barrel may comprise two α-helicies.

In some embodiments, the secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide may, inaddition to the secretin domain, comprise an S domain. The S-domain maycomprise two α-helices. One of the α-helices typically interacts withthe beta-barrel of the secretin nanopore. The S-domain is typicallylocated on the outside of the pore (i.e. away from the lumen of thepore).

In some embodiments, the secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide may, inaddition to the secretin domain, and optionally the S domain, comprisean N3 domain. The N3 domain is typically composed of β-barrels andα-helicies, e.g. from 3 to 6 β-barrels and from 2 to 3 α-helicies, suchas 3 β-barrels and 2 α-helicies as shown in FIG. 11 or 6 β-barrels and 3α-helicies as shown in FIG. 1B. The N3 domain may form a constriction inthe lumen of the pore. The N3 domain may be modified so that it does notconstrict the pore. The N3 domain may be modified to increase ordecrease the size of the constriction.

In some embodiments, the amino acid sequence of the modified secretinnanopore subunit polypeptide comprises one or more amino acidmodifications (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15,16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, or more andup to 40 amino acid modifications) at positions within the lumen-formingamino acid sequence. The amino acid modifications are selected toprovide improved frequency of capture and/or translocation of an analyte(e.g., a polynucleotide such as double stranded or single stranded DNA)through the nanopore, as compared to a reference secretin amino acidsequence.

In some embodiments, the amino acid modifications may be charge-alteringmodifications. In some embodiments, the amino acid modification is apositively-charged amino acid substitution. The term “positively-chargedamino acid substitution” as used herein refers to a modification to areference amino acid that increases the net positive charge, ordecreases the net negative charge, of the reference amino acid, e.g., asdetected at pH 7.0-8.0 (e.g., at pH 8.0) and at room temperature, e.g.,at 20-25° C. For example, a positively-charged amino acid substitutioncan include, but is not limited to, (i) replacement of anegatively-charged amino acid with a less negatively charged amino acid,neutral amino acid, or positively-charged amino acid, (ii) replacementof a neutral amino acid with a positively-charged amino acid, or (iii)replacement of a positively charged amino acid with a morepositively-charged amino acid. In some embodiments, a positively-chargedamino acid substitution may include deletion of a negatively-chargedamino acid or addition of a positively-charged amino acid. In someembodiments, a positively-charged amino acid substitution may includeone or more chemical modifications of one or more negatively chargedamino acids which neutralize their negative charge. For instance, theone or more negatively charged amino acids may be reacted with acarbodiimide.

A positively-charged amino acid is an amino acid having an isoelectricpoint (pI) that is higher than the pH of a solution so that the aminoacid in the solution carries a net positive charge. For example,examples of a positively-charged amino acid as detected at pH 7.0-8.0(e.g., at pH 8.0) and at room temperature, e.g., at 20-25° C., include,but are not limited to arginine (R), histidine (H), and lysine (K). Anegatively-charged amino acid is an amino acid having a pI that is lowerthan the pH of a solution so that the amino acid in the solution carriesa net negative charge. Examples of a negatively-charged amino acid asdetected at pH 7.0-8.0 (e.g., at pH 8.0) and at room temperature, e.g.,at 20-25° C., include, but are not limited to aspartic acid (D),glutamic acid (E), serine (S), glutamine (Q). A neutral amino acid is anamino acid having an isoelectric point (pI) that is same as the pH of asolution so that the amino acid in the solution carries no net charge. Aneutral amino acid can be a polar, non-polar, or hydrophobic amino acid.The pI values of amino acids are known in the art. By comparing the pIvalue of an amino acid of interest to the pH of a solution, one ofordinary skill in the art will readily determine whether the amino acidpresent in the solution is a positively charged amino acid, a neutralamino acid, or a negatively-charged amino acid. An amino acid can be anaturally-occurring or synthetic amino acid.

In some embodiments, the amino acid modification may be a modificationto change the hydrophobicity of the amino acid. Such a modificationincludes a modification to a reference amino acid that changes itshydrophobicity, e.g., as detected at pH 7.0-8.0 (e.g., at pH 8.0) and atroom temperature, e.g., at 20-25° C. For example, the amino acidmodification may be a substitution of a reference amino acid with ahydrophobic amino acid, e.g., an amino acid with a hydrophobic sidechain. Examples of hydrophobic amino acids include glycine (G), alanine(A), valine (V), leucine (L), isoleucine (I), proline (P), phenylalanine(F), methionine (M), tyrosine (Y), and tryptophan (W). For example, theamino acid modification may be a substitution of a neutral amino acidwith a hydrophobic amino acid. The hydropathy index of amino acids areknown in the art. Hydrophobicity scales are values that define relativehydrophobicity of amino acid residues. The more positive the value, themore hydrophobic are the amino acids located in that region of theprotein. An amino acid can be an naturally-occurring or synthetic aminoacid.

In some embodiments, the amino acid modification may be a modificationto change the size of the amino acid. Such a modification includes amodification to a reference amino acid that changes its size, e.g., thesize of the side chain. For example, the amino acid modification may bea substitution of a reference amino acid having a large side chain withan amino acid having a smaller side chain. Examples of very large aminoacids include phenylalanine (F), tryptophan (W) and tyrosine (Y).Examples of large amino acids include isoleucine (I), leucine (L),methionine (M), lysine (K) and arginine (R). Examples of medium sizedamino acids include valine (V), histidine (H), glutamic acid (E) andglutamine (Q). Examples of small amino acids include cysteine (C),proline (P), threonine (T), aspartic acid (D) and asparagine (N).Examples of very small amino acids include serine (S), glycine (G) andalanine (A). For example, the amino acid modification may be asubstitution of a very large amino acid with a large, medium, small orvery small amino acid. For example, the amino acid modification may be asubstitution of a large amino acid with a medium, small or very smallamino acid. For example, the amino acid modification may be asubstitution of a medium amino acid with a small or very small aminoacid. The smaller amino acid can be an naturally-occurring or syntheticamino acid.

In some embodiments, the modified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptideis a modified InvG nanopore subunit polypeptide comprising an amino acidsequence that is at least about 40% (including, e.g., at least about50%, at least about 55%, at least about 60%, at least about 65%, atleast about 70%, at least about 75%, at least about 80%, at least about85%, at least about 90%, at least about 95%, or higher) identical to theamino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 (corresponding to theamino acid sequence of InvG without N1 or NO domain), wherein themodified InvG nanopore subunit polypeptide comprises one or more aminoacid modifications (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 amino acidmodifications) at amino acid(s) selected from D28, E41, E114, Q45, E225,R226, and E231 of SEQ ID NO: 1. The amino acid modification can be apositively-charged amino acid substitution or a modification to changethe hydrophobicity of a reference amino acid. In some embodiments, theamino acid modification may comprises one or more (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,or 6) of the following: (i) D28N/Q/T/S/G/R/K; (ii) E225N/Q/T/A/S/G/P/H/F/Y/R/K; (iii) R226N/Q/T/A/S/G/P/H/F/Y/K/V; (iv)deletion of E225; (v) deletion of R226; and (vi)E231N/Q/T/A/S/G/P/H/R/K. In some embodiments, the modified InvG nanoporesubunit polypeptide may comprise one or more amino acid modifications atamino acid(s) selected from Q45, E41, and E114 of SEQ ID NO: 1. Forexample, the modified InvG nanopore subunit polypeptide may comprise oneor more (e.g., 1, 2, or 3) of the following amino acid modifications:(i) Q45R/K; (ii) E41N/Q/T/S/G/R/K; and (iii) E114N/Q/T/S/G/R/K of SEQ IDNO: 1. The “/” symbol between amino acids X and Y means that a referenceamino acid may be modified to amino acid X or amino acid Y. It should beunderstood that the amino acid positions based on SEQ ID NO: 1 willshift accordingly if modifications (e.g., amino acid addition ordeletion) are made to the N-terminus of or within the amino acidsequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1. By way of example only, SEQ IDNO: 2 differs from SEQ ID NO: 1 in that the N-terminus of SEQ ID NO: 2contains additional 171 amino acids that correspond to the NO and N1domains of an InvG nanopore, which are missing from the N-terminus ofSEQ ID NO: 1. Thus, one of ordinary skill in the art will readilyrecognize that the amino acid positions D28, E41, E114, Q45, E225, R226,and E231 in SEQ ID NO: 1 correspond to amino acid positions D199, E212,E285, Q216, E396, R397, and E402 in SEQ ID NO: 2.

In some embodiments, the modified InvG nanopore subunit polypeptidecomprises an amino acid sequence that is at least about 40% or higher(including, e.g., at least about 50%, at least about 55%, at least about60%, at least about 65%, at least about 70%, at least about 75%, atleast about 80%, at least about 85%, at least about 90%, at least about95%, or higher) identical to the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQID NO: 1 and one or any combinations of the amino acid modifications asshown in FIG. 7 . For example, in some embodiments, the modified InvGnanopore subunit polypeptide may comprise amino acid substitutionE225N/Q/T/A/S/G/P/H/F/Y/R/K and deletion of R226 of SEQ ID NO: 1. Insome embodiments, the modified InvG nanopore subunit polypeptide maycomprise a deletion of E225 amino acid and amino acid substitutionsE231N/Q/T/A/S/G/P/H/R/K and Q45R/K. It should be noted that the aminoacid positions as shown in FIG. 7 (based on SEQ ID NO: 2) are adjustedto correspond to the amino acid positions in SEQ ID NO: 1. Methods ofaligning two amino acid sequences are known in the art. Thus, one ofordinary skill in the art can readily identify the corresponding aminoacid positions in SEQ ID NO: 1 based on the amino acid positionsprovided in SEQ ID NO: 2.

In some embodiments, the modified InvG nanopore subunit polypeptidecomprises an amino acid sequence that is at least about 40% or higher(including, e.g., at least about 50%, at least about 55%, at least about60%, at least about 65%, at least about 70%, at least about 75%, atleast about 80%, at least about 85%, at least about 90%, at least about95%, or higher) identical to the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQID NO: 2 and one or any combinations of the amino acid modifications asshown in FIG. 7 .

In another aspect, provided herein is a modified secretin nanoporesubunit polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least40% or higher (including, e.g., at least about 50%, at least about 55%,at least about 60%, at least about 65%, at least about 70%, at leastabout 75%, at least about 80%, at least about 85%, at least about 90%,at least about 95%, or higher) identical to the amino acid sequence of asecretin nanopore subunit polypeptide, e.g., the amino acid sequence asset forth in SEQ ID NOs: 2, or 4-30 (corresponding to the amino acidsequence of wild-type (WT) secretin including N1 and NO domains),wherein an endopeptidase cleavage site is inserted upstream of the N3domain of the secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide. In someembodiments, the endopeptidase cleavage site is inserted between the N1domain and N3 domain of the secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide (e.g.,an InvG nanopore subunit polypeptide). In other embodiments, theendopeptidase cleavage site is inserted between the N1 domain and N2domain (e.g., a GspD or PulD nanopore subunit polypeptide). Such amodified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide allows removal of N1and/or NO domains using an endopeptidase that targets the correspondingendopeptidase cleavage site after expression of the polypeptide. Forexample, cleavage of NO and N1 domains can be done by treating fulllength protein that are expressed and purified with an appropriateendopeptidase.

As used herein, the term “endopeptidase cleavage site” refers to apeptide sequence that is recognized and cleaved by an endopeptidase,which is a proteolytic enzyme that breaks or cleaves bonds ofnonterminal amino acids (e.g., within the molecule). Variousendopeptidases and their corresponding cleavage sites are known in theart. For example, such information can be assessed online atweb.expasy.org/peptide_cutter/peptidecutter_enzymes.html. Non-limitingexamples of endopeptidases include, but are not limited to, Trypsin,Chymotrypsin, Elastase, Thermolysin, Pepsin, Glutamyl endopeptidase,Neprilysin, Caspase 1-10, CNBr, Enterokinase, Proteinase K, Factor XaProtease, Bovine Alpha Thrombin, and Tobacco Etch Virus (TEV) protease.In one embodiment, the endopeptidase cleavage site inserted into themodified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide may be recognized by aTEV protease. TEV protease recognizes a linear epitope of the generalform E-Xaa-Xaa-T-Xaa-Q-(G/S), with cleavage occurring between Q and G orQ and S. An exemplary TEV protease cleavage sequence may be ENLYFQG. Inone embodiment, the endopeptidase cleavage site inserted into themodified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide may be recognized by aFactor Xa Protease. Factor Xa cleaves after the arginine residue in itspreferred cleavage site Ile-(Glu or Asp)-Gly-Arg. It will sometimescleave at other basic residues, depending on the conformation of theprotein substrate. In another embodiment, the endopeptidase cleavagesite inserted into the modified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptidemay be recognized by a bovine alpha thrombin. Thrombin recognizes theconsensus sequence Leu-Val-Pro-Arg-Gly-Ser, cleaving the peptide bondbetween Arg and Gly.

In one aspect, provided herein is a modified InvG nanopore subunitpolypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least about 40%or higher (including, e.g., at least about 50%, at least about 55%, atleast about 60%, at least about 65%, at least about 70%, at least about75%, at least about 80%, at least about 85%, at least about 90%, atleast about 95%, or higher) identical to the amino acid sequence as setforth in SEQ ID NO: 2 (corresponding to the amino acid sequence of WTInvG including N1 and NO domains), wherein an endopeptidase cleavagesite is inserted between positions 170 and 171 or 171 and 172 of SEQ IDNO: 2. In one embodiment, an endopeptidase cleavage site is insertedbetween D171 and G172 of SEQ ID NO: 2. Such a modified InvG nanoporesubunit polypeptide allows removal of N1 and NO domains using anendopeptidase that targets the corresponding endopeptidase cleavage siteafter expression of the polypeptide. Any appropriate endopeptidasecleavage site (e.g., as described herein) can be used. In oneembodiment, the endopeptidase cleavage site inserted into the modifiedInvG nanopore subunit polypeptide may be recognized by a TEV protease.An exemplary TEV protease cleavage sequence may be ENLYFQG. Example 2provides an exemplary method for expression and purification of amodified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide comprising a TEV proteasecleavage site.

In some embodiments, the modified InvG nanopore subunit polypeptidecomprising an endopeptidase cleavage site may comprise one or more(e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7) of the amino acid modifications as shownin FIG. 7 . For example, in some embodiments, the modified InvG nanoporesubunit polypeptide may comprise amino acid substitutionE396N/Q/T/A/S/G/P/H/F/Y/R/K and deletion of R397 of SEQ ID NO: 2. Insome embodiments, the modified InvG nanopore subunit polypeptide maycomprise a deletion of E396 amino acid and amino acid substitutionsE402N/Q/T/A/S/G/P/H/R/K and Q216R/K.

For example, in one aspect the modified GspD secretin nanopore comprisesa subunit polypeptide comprising a secretin domain having an amino acidsequence that is at least about 40% or higher (including, e.g., at leastabout 50%, at least about 55%, at least about 60%, at least about 65%,at least about 70%, at least about 75%, at least about 80%, at leastabout 85%, at least about 90%, at least about 95%, or higher) identicalto the amino acid sequence of the secretin domain set forth in SEQ IDNO: 36.

The secretin domain of GspD from Vibrio cholerae and from Escherichiacoli ETEC contain a cap gate. Other Type II secretion system subunitpolypeptides, including some GspD secretin subunit polypeptides, such asEscherichia coli K12, do not comprise a cap gate. The modified GspDsecretin nanopore may, in one aspect be one that does not comprise a capgate. The secretin domain set in out SEQ ID NO: 36 comprises a cap gatebetween positions 56 and 77. For example, the secretin domain set forthin SEQ ID NO: 36 may be modified to delete all or part of the cap gate,e.g. all or some of the amino acids from D55 or T56 to T77 of SEQ ID NO:36 may be deleted or substituted. Alternatively, the modified GspDsecretin nanopore may naturally lack a cap gate.

The central gate of GspD may be modified to replace an amino acid withan amino acid having a smaller side group and/or to replace a negativelycharged amino acid with a neutral or positively charged amino acid. Thesecretin domain set in out SEQ ID NO: 36 comprises a central gatebetween positions 144 to 157, which correspond to positions 460 and 473of SEQ ID NO: 32. The secretin domain of the modified GspD secretinnanopore may comprise a secretin domain having an amino acid sequencethat is at least about 40% or higher (including, e.g., at least about50%, at least about 55%, at least about 60%, at least about 65%, atleast about 70%, at least about 75%, at least about 80%, at least about85%, at least about 90%, at least about 95%, or higher) identical to anamino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 36, wherein: (i) all orsome of the amino acids from D55 or T56 to T77 are deleted orsubstituted, one or more of K60, D64, R71 and E73 is substituted with anuncharged amino acid and/or one or more of D55, T56, T77 and K78 issubstituted with P; and/or (ii) F156 is substituted with a smaller aminoacid, N151 and/or N152 is/are substituted with a smaller amino acid,D153 is substituted with an uncharged amino acid, G137 and G165 are eachindependently unmodified or substituted with A or V. For example, in themodified secretin GspD nanopore Y63 to R71 may deleted and/orsubstituted with GSG or SGS, F156 may be substituted with A, D153 may besubstituted with S, and/or N151 and N152 may each independently besubstituted with G or S. D55, T56, K60, Y63, D64, R71, E73, T77, K78,G137, N151, N152, D153, F156 and G165 of SEQ ID NO: 36 correspond toD371, T372, K376, Y379, D380, R387, E389, T393, K394, G453, N467, N468,D469, F472 and G481 of the full length GspD amino acid sequence setforth in SEQ ID NO: 32.

The modified secretin GspD nanopore may comprise a modified secretindomain as defined above with reference to SEQ ID NO 36, an N3 domain andan S domain. The modified secretin GspD nanopore may in one aspectcomprises a subunit polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence thatis at least about 40% or higher (including, e.g., at least about 50%, atleast about 55%, at least about 60%, at least about 65%, at least about70%, at least about 75%, at least about 80%, at least about 85%, atleast about 90%, at least about 95%, or higher) identical to the aminoacid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 33, 34 and/or or 35. SEQ ID NO:35 comprises a secretin domain and an S domain. SEQ ID NO: 34 comprisesa secretin domain, an S domain and a modified N3 domain. SEQ ID NO: 34comprises a secretin domain, an S domain and an N3 domain. The aminoacid modifications referred to with reference to SEQ ID NO: 36 may bemade at the corresponding positions of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 31 to 35.The amino acid modifications referred to with reference to SEQ ID NO: 36may also be made at the corresponding positions of any one of SEQ IDNOs: 4 and 37 to 40, or to a truncated subunit polypeptide comprising aportion of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 4 and 37 to 40, e.g. a truncatedsubunit polypeptide comprising the secretin domain, secretin and Sdomains or secretin, S and N3 domains of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 4 and 37to 40.

For example, the secretin domain of the modified GspD secretin nanoporemay comprise a secretin domain having an amino acid sequence that is atleast about 40% or higher (including, e.g., at least about 50%, at leastabout 55%, at least about 60%, at least about 65%, at least about 70%,at least about 75%, at least about 80%, at least about 85%, at leastabout 90%, at least about 95%, or higher) identical to an amino acidsequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 34, wherein: (i) all or some of theamino acids from D117 or T118 to T139 are deleted or substituted, one ormore of K122, D126, R133 and E135 is substituted with an uncharged aminoacid and/or one or more of D117, T118, T139 and K140 is substituted withP; and/or (ii) F218 is substituted with a smaller amino acid, N213and/or N214 is/are substituted with a smaller amino acid, D215 issubstituted with an uncharged amino acid, G199 and G227 are eachindependently unmodified or substituted with A or V. For example, in themodified secretin GspD nanopore Y125 to R133 may deleted and/orsubstituted with GSG or SGS, F218 may be substituted with A, D215 may besubstituted with S, and/or N213 and N214 may each independently besubstituted with G or S. D117, T118, K122, Y125, D126, R133, E135, T139,K140, G199, N213, N214, D215, F218 and G227 of SEQ ID NO: 34 correspondto D371, T372, K376, Y379, D380, R387, E389, T393, K394, G453, N467,N468, D469, F472 and G481 of the full length GspD amino acid sequenceset forth in SEQ ID NO: 32.

For example, the secretin domain of the modified GspD secretin nanoporemay comprise a secretin domain having an amino acid sequence that is atleast about 40% or higher (including, e.g., at least about 50%, at leastabout 55%, at least about 60%, at least about 65%, at least about 70%,at least about 75%, at least about 80%, at least about 85%, at leastabout 90%, at least about 95%, or higher) identical to an amino acidsequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 35, wherein: (i) all or some of theamino acids from D55 or T56 to T77 are deleted or substituted, one ormore of K60, D64, R71 and E73 is substituted with an uncharged aminoacid and/or one or more of D55, T56, T77 and K78 is substituted with P;and/or (ii) F156 is substituted with a smaller amino acid, N151 and/orN152 is/are substituted with a smaller amino acid, D153 is substitutedwith an uncharged amino acid, G137 and G165 are each independentlyunmodified or substituted with A or V. For example, in the modifiedsecretin GspD nanopore Y63 to R71 may deleted and/or substituted withGSG or SGS, F156 may be substituted with A, D153 may be substituted withS, and/or N151 and N152 may each independently be substituted with G orS. D55, T56, K60, Y63, D64, R71, E73, T77, K78, G137, N151, N152, D153,F156 and G165 of SEQ ID NO: 35 correspond to D371, T372, K376, Y379,D380, R387, E389, T393, K394, G453, N467, N468, D469, F472 and G481 ofthe full length GspD amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 32.

For example, the secretin domain of the modified GspD secretin nanoporemay comprise a secretin domain having an amino acid sequence that is atleast about 40% or higher (including, e.g., at least about 50%, at leastabout 55%, at least about 60%, at least about 65%, at least about 70%,at least about 75%, at least about 80%, at least about 85%, at leastabout 90%, at least about 95%, or higher) identical to an amino acidsequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 33, wherein: (i) all or some of theamino acids from D132 or T133 to T154 are deleted or substituted, one ormore of K137, D141, R148 and E150 is substituted with an uncharged aminoacid and/or one or more of D132, T133, T154 and K155 is substituted withP; and/or (ii) F233 is substituted with a smaller amino acid, N228and/or N229 is/are substituted with a smaller amino acid, D230 issubstituted with an uncharged amino acid, G214 and G242 are eachindependently unmodified or substituted with A or V. For example, in themodified secretin GspD nanopore Y140 to R148 may deleted and/orsubstituted with GSG or SGS, F233 may be substituted with A, D230 may besubstituted with S, and/or N228 and N229 may each independently besubstituted with G or S. D132, T133, K137, Y140, D141, R148, E150, T154,K155, G214, N228, N229, D230, F233 and G242 of SEQ ID NO: 33 correspondto D371, T372, K376, Y379, D380, R387, E389, T393, K394, G453, N467,N468, D469, F472 and G481 of the full length GspD amino acid sequenceset forth in SEQ ID NO: 32.

In any aspects of the modified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptidedescribed herein, additional amino acid substitutions (other than theamino acid modifications described above), may be made to a referencesecretin amino acid sequence, for example up to 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,9, 10, 15, 20, or 30 substitutions. Conservative substitutions replaceamino acids with other amino acids of similar chemical structure,similar chemical properties or similar side-chain volume. The aminoacids introduced may have similar polarity, hydrophilicity,hydrophobicity, basicity, acidity, neutrality or charge to the aminoacids they replace. Alternatively, the conservative substitution mayintroduce another amino acid that is aromatic or aliphatic in the placeof a pre-existing aromatic or aliphatic amino acid. Conservative aminoacid changes are well-known in the art and may be selected in accordancewith the properties of the 20 main amino acids as defined in Table 1below. Where amino acids have similar polarity, this can also bedetermined by reference to the hydropathy scale for amino acid sidechains in Table 2.

TABLE 1 Chemical properties of amino acids Ala aliphatic, hydrophobic,Met hydrophobic, neutral neutral Cys polar, hydrophobic, neutral Asnpolar, hydrophilic, neutral Asp polar, hydrophilic, charged Prohydrophobic, neutral (−) Glu polar, hydrophilic, charged Gln polar,hydrophilic, (−) neutral Phe aromatic, hydrophobic, Arg polar,hydrophilic, neutral charged (+) Gly aliphatic, neutral Ser polar,hydrophilic, neutral His aromatic, polar, hydrophilic, Thr polar,hydrophilic, charged (+) neutral Ile aliphatic, hydrophobic, Valaliphatic, hydrophobic, neutral neutral Lys polar, hydrophilic,charged(+) Trp aromatic, hydrophobic, neutral Leu aliphatic,hydrophobic, Tyr aromatic, polar, neutral hydrophobic

TABLE 2 Hydropathy scale Side Chain Hydropathy Ile 4.5 Val 4.2 Leu 3.8Phe 2.8 Cys 2.5 Met 1.9 Ala 1.8 Gly −0.4 Thr −0.7 Ser −0.8 Trp −0.9 Tyr−1.3 Pro −1.6 His −3.2 Glu −3.5 Gln −3.5 Asp −3.5 Asn −3.5 Lys −3.9 Arg−4.5

One or more amino acid residues of the reference amino acid sequence(e.g., as set forth in SEQ ID Nos: 1-10) may additionally be deletedfrom the polypeptides described above. Up to 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 20 or 30residues may be deleted, or more.

One or more amino acids may be alternatively or additionally added tothe polypeptides described above. An extension may be provided at theamino terminal or carboxy terminal of the reference amino acid sequence(e.g., as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 2) or polypeptide variant orfragment thereof. The extension may be quite short, for example from 1to 10 amino acids in length. Alternatively, the extension may be longer,for example up to 50 or 100 amino acids. A carrier protein may be fusedto an amino acid sequence, e.g., an amino acid sequence of a modifiedsecretin nanopore subunit polypeptide. Other fusion proteins arediscussed in more detail below.

Methods for modifying amino acids (e.g., by substitution, addition, ordeletion) are well known in the art. For instance, a reference aminoacid may be substituted with a target amino acid by replacing the codonfor the reference amino acid with a codon for the target amino acid atthe relevant position in a polynucleotide encoding the modified secretinnanopore subunit polypeptide. The polynucleotide can then be expressedas discussed below. If the amino acid is a non-naturally-occurring aminoacid, it may be introduced by including synthetic aminoacyl-tRNAs in theIVTT system used to express the modified secretin nanopore subunitpolypeptide. Alternatively, it may be introduced by expressing themodified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide in E. coli that areauxotrophic for specific amino acids in the presence of synthetic (i.e.,non-naturally-occurring) analogues of those specific amino acids. Theymay also be produced by naked ligation if the modified secretin nanoporesubunit polypeptide is produced using partial peptide synthesis.

The modified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptides described herein maybe used to form a homo-multimeric nanopore or hetero-multimeric nanoporeas described herein. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the modifiedsecretin nanopore subunit polypeptide retains the ability to form ananopore with other subunit polypeptides. Methods for assessing theability of modified monomers to form nanopores are well-known in theart. For instance, a modified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide maybe inserted into an amphiphilic layer along with other appropriatesubunits and its ability to oligomerize to form a pore may bedetermined. Methods are known in the art for inserting subunits intomembranes, such as amphiphilic layers. For example, subunits may besuspended in a purified form in a solution containing a triblockcopolymer membrane such that it diffuses to the membrane and is insertedby binding to the membrane and assembling into a functional state.Alternatively, subunits may be directly inserted into the membrane usingthe “pick and place” method described in M. A. Holden, H. Bayley. J. Am.Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 6502-6503 and International Application No.PCT/GB2006/001057 (published as WO 2006/100484), the contents of whichare incorporated herein by reference.

The modified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptides may containnon-specific modifications as long as they do not interfere withnanopore formation. A number of non-specific side chain modificationsare known in the art and may be made to the side chains of the aminoacids. Such modifications include, for example, reductive alkylation ofamino acids by reaction with an aldehyde followed by reduction withNaBH4, amidination with methylacetimidate or acylation with aceticanhydride.

The modified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptides can be producedusing standard methods known in the art. The modified secretin nanoporesubunit polypeptides may be made synthetically or by recombinant means.Exemplary methods for expression and purification of the modifiedsecretin nanopore subunit polypeptides according to some embodimentsdescribed herein are provided in Examples 1 and 2. Alternatively, themodified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptides may be synthesized by invitro translation and transcription (IVTT). Suitable methods forproducing pores and modified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptides arediscussed in International Application Nos. PCT/GB09/001690 (publishedas WO 2010/004273), PCT/GB09/001679 (published as WO 2010/004265) orPCT/GB10/000133 (published as WO 2010/086603), the contents of each ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference.

The modified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptides as described hereinmay be produced using D-amino acids. For instance, the modified secretinnanopore subunit polypeptides as described herein may comprise a mixtureof L-amino acids and D-amino acids. This is conventional in the art forproducing such proteins or peptides.

In some embodiments, the modified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptidesmay be chemically modified. The modified secretin nanopore subunitpolypeptides can be chemically modified in any way and at any site. Forinstance, the modified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptides may bechemically modified by attachment of a dye or a fluorophore. In someembodiments, the modified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide may bechemically modified by attachment of a molecule to one or more cysteines(cysteine linkage), attachment of a molecule to one or more lysines,attachment of a molecule to one or more non-natural amino acids, enzymemodification of an epitope or modification of a terminus. Suitablemethods for carrying out such modifications are well-known in the art.

In some embodiments, the modified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptidemay be chemically modified with a molecular adaptor that facilitates theinteraction between a nanopore comprising the modified secretin nanoporesubunit polypeptide and a target nucleotide or target polynucleotidesequence. The presence of the adaptor improves the host-guest chemistryof the nanopore and the nucleotide or polynucleotide sequence andthereby improves the sequencing ability of pores formed from themodified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptides. The principles ofhost-guest chemistry are well-known in the art. The adaptor has aneffect on the physical or chemical properties of the nanopore thatimproves its interaction with the nucleotide or polynucleotide sequence.The adaptor may alter the charge of the barrel or channel of the pore orspecifically interact with or bind to the nucleotide or polynucleotidesequence thereby facilitating its interaction with the pore.

In some embodiments, the molecular adaptor may be a cyclic molecule, acyclodextrin, a species that is capable of hybridization, a DNA binderor interchelator, a peptide or peptide analogue, a synthetic polymer, anaromatic planar molecule, a small positively-charged molecule or a smallmolecule capable of hydrogen-bonding.

In some embodiments, the molecular adaptor can be covalently attached tothe modified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide. The adaptor can becovalently attached to the nanopore using any method known in the art.The adaptor is typically attached via chemical linkage. If the molecularadaptor is attached via cysteine linkage, one or more cysteines can beintroduced to the modified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide bysubstitution.

In other embodiment, the modified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptidemay be attached or coupled to an enzyme such as a polynucleotide bindingprotein, e.g., helicases, exonucleases, and polymerases. In someembodiments, the modified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide may beattached or coupled to a helicase, e.g., a DNA helicase. Examples ofhelicases, exonucleases, and polymerases that are suitable for use innanopore sequencing are known in the art. In some embodiments, themodified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide may be attached orcoupled to a helicase, e.g., a DNA helicase, a He1308 helicase (e.g., asdescribed in WO 2013/057495), a RecD helicase (e.g., as described inWO2013/098562), a XPD helicase (e.g., as described in WO201/098561), ora Dda helicase (e.g., as described in WO2015/055981). This forms amodular sequencing system that may be used in the methods ofcharacterizing a target polynucleotide. Polynucleotide binding proteinsare discussed below. The translocation speed control may be determinedby the type of polynucleotide binding protein and/or amount of fuel(ATP) added to the system. For example, the rate of translocation of thedouble stranded DNA analyte may be controlled by a double stranded DNAtranslocase such as FtsK. Depending upon the fuel (ATP) added to thesystem, the translocation speed of a target polynucleotide can bebetween about 30 B/s and 1000 B/s or about 30 B/s and 2000 B/s.

In some embodiments, the polynucleotide binding protein can becovalently attached to the modified secretin nanopore subunitpolypeptide. The polynucleotide binding protein can be covalentlyattached to the modified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide using anymethod known in the art. The modified secretin nanopore subunitpolypeptide and the polynucleotide binding protein may be chemicallyfused or genetically fused. The modified secretin nanopore subunitpolypeptide and the polynucleotide binding protein are genetically fusedif the whole construct is expressed from a single polynucleotidesequence. Genetic fusion of a modified secretin nanopore subunitpolypeptide to a polynucleotide binding protein is discussed inInternational Application No. PCT/GB09/001679 (published as WO2010/004265), the contents of which are incorporated herein byreference.

The modified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide may be chemicallymodified with a molecular adaptor and a polynucleotide binding protein.

Any of the proteins described herein, such as the modified secretinnanopore subunit polypeptides and nanopores described herein, may bemodified to assist their identification or purification, for example bythe addition of histidine residues (a his tag), aspartic acid residues(an asp tag), a streptavidin tag, a flag tag, a SUMO tag, a GST tag or aMBP tag, or by the addition of a signal sequence to promote theirsecretion from a cell where the polypeptide does not naturally containsuch a sequence. An alternative to introducing a genetic tag is tochemically react a tag onto a native or engineered position on theprotein. An example of this would be to react a gel-shift reagent to acysteine engineered on the outside of the protein. This has beendemonstrated as a method for separating hemolysin hetero-oligomers (ChemBiol. 1997 July; 4(7):497-505).

Any of the proteins described herein, such as the modified secretinnanopore subunit polypeptide and nanopores described herein, may belabelled with a detectable label. The detectable label may be anysuitable label which allows the protein to be detected. Suitable labelsinclude, but are not limited to, fluorescent molecules, radioisotopes,e.g., 1251, 35S, enzymes, antibodies, antigens, polynucleotides andligands such as biotin.

Any of the proteins described herein, including the modified secretinnanopore subunit polypeptide described herein, can be produced usingstandard methods known in the art. Polynucleotide sequences encoding aprotein may be derived and replicated using standard methods in the art.Polynucleotide sequences encoding a protein may be expressed in abacterial host cell using standard techniques in the art. The proteinmay be produced in a cell by in situ expression of the polypeptide froma recombinant expression vector. The expression vector optionallycarries an inducible promoter to control the expression of thepolypeptide. These methods are described in Sambrook, J. and Russell, D.(2001). Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 3rd Edition. Cold SpringHarbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.

Proteins may be produced in large scale following purification by anyprotein liquid chromatography system from protein producing organisms orafter recombinant expression. Typical protein liquid chromatographysystems include FPLC, AKTA systems, the Bio-Cad system, the Bio-RadBioLogic system and the Gilson HPLC system.

Polynucleotides Encoding the Modified Secretin Nanopore SubunitPolypeptides

Provided herein are also polynucleotide sequences encoding any one ofthe modified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptides as described herein.

Polynucleotide sequences may be derived and replicated using standardmethods in the art. Chromosomal DNA encoding wild-type secretin may beextracted from a pore producing organism, such as Salmonella typhi. Thegene encoding the pore subunit may be amplified using PCR involvingspecific primers. The amplified sequence may then undergo site-directedmutagenesis. Suitable methods of site-directed mutagenesis are known inthe art and include, for example, combine chain reaction.Polynucleotides encoding any one of the modified secretin nanoporesubunit polypeptides can be made using well-known techniques, such asthose described in Sambrook, J. and Russell, D. (2001). MolecularCloning: A Laboratory Manual, 3rd Edition. Cold Spring Harbor LaboratoryPress, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.

The resulting polynucleotide sequence may then be incorporated into arecombinant replicable vector such as a cloning vector. The vector maybe used to replicate the polynucleotide in a compatible host cell. Thuspolynucleotide sequences may be made by introducing a polynucleotideinto a replicable vector, introducing the vector into a compatible hostcell, and growing the host cell under conditions which bring aboutreplication of the vector. The vector may be recovered from the hostcell. Suitable host cells for cloning of polynucleotides are known inthe art.

Another aspect of the disclosure includes a method of producing amodified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide or a construct describedherein. The method comprises expressing a polynucleotide encoding anyembodiment of the modified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptides in asuitable host cell. The polynucleotide is preferably part of a vectorand is preferably operably linked to a promoter.

Modified Secretin Nanopores

One aspect of the present disclosure features a modified secretinnanopore, for example, that is disposed in a membrane and permitscapture of an analyte, e.g., a target polynucleotide or polypeptide,into the modified secretin nanopore and/or translocation of the analytethrough the modified secretin nanopore. The modified secretin nanopore,e.g., as disposed in a membrane, comprises a lumenal surface defining alumen that extends, e.g., through the membrane, between a cis-openingand a trans-opening, in which the lumenal surface comprises one or moreamino acid modifications. As used herein, the term “lumenal surface”refers to the internal surface of a nanopore, which surface comprises aset of amino acids of multiple nanopore subunits, that defines a lumenthat is exposed to a solution.

In some embodiments, the secretin nanopore comprises a secretin domaincomprising a beta barrel comprising an inner barrel subdomain and anouter barrel subdomain, each composed of β-sheets, with each subunittypically contributing about six β-sheets and/or the inner barreltypically comprising about four β-sheets to the outer barrel. Eachsubunit may further contribute two α-helices, typically between two ofthe β-sheets, to the outer beta barrel, for example as shown in FIG. 11. The outer barrel typically spans the membrane. The inner barreltypically abuts the lumen of the pore. The inner barrel typicallycomprises a central gate. The central gate is typically formed fromloops between two β-sheets that form the inner barrel in each subunit.The central gate typically extends into the pore to narrow the size ofthe pore. The central gate can be modified by altering amino acidspresent in the central gate loop as described herein to alter theproperties of the pore. The central gate may be flexible, for examplethe central gate may be capable of opening. The central gate may berigid to maintain a constant constriction size, e.g. the central gateloop may be closed or partially closed. The beta barrel of the secretinnanopore wherein a first lip protrudes from the membrane on the oppositeside of the membrane to the inner beta barrel. The lips of the betabarrel are typically composed of two α-helicies and two β-sheets fromeach subunit polypeptide. The β-sheets in each subunit may be joined bya loop region and the loop regions form a cap gate. Alternatively, theloop joining the β-sheets may be short and not form a gate. The cap gatemay be flexible, for example the cap gate may be capable of opening. Thecap gate may be rigid to maintain a constant constriction size, e.g. thecap gate may be closed or partially closed. In some embodiments, thefirst lip of the beta barrel may comprise no β-sheets and comprise fromeach subunit two α-helicies that are joined by a loop. In theseembodiments the nanopore does not comprise a cap gate. The second lipmay be on the other side of the inner beta barrel to the first lip. Thesecond lip of the beta barrel may comprise two α-helicies in eachsubunit.

In some embodiments, the secretin nanopore may in addition to thesecretin domain, comprise an S domain. The S-domain may comprise twoα-helices. One of the α-helices typically interacts with the beta-barrelof the secretin nanopore. The S-domain is typically located on theoutside of the pore (i.e. away from the lumen of the pore).

In some embodiments, the secretin nanopore may, in addition to thesecretin domain, and optionally the S domain, comprises an N3 domain.The N3 domain is typically composed of β-barrels and α-helicies, e.g.from 3 to 6 β-barrels and from 2 to 3 α-helicies, such as 3 β-barrelsand 2 α-helicies as shown in FIG. 11 or 6 β-barrels and 3 α-helicies asshown in FIG. 1B. The N3 domain may form a constriction in the lumen ofthe pore. The N3 domain may be modified so that it does not constrictthe pore. The N3 domain may be modified to increase or decrease the sizeof the constriction.

When used as a nanopore to detect or characterize an analyte, thecentral gate, cap gate and/or N3 constriction may function as anread-head, i.e. interaction of the analyte with one, two or all of thecentral gate, cap gate and N3 constriction may alter the signal obtainedas an analyte interacts with the pore and thus enable information aboutthe analyte to be derived. Accordingly, the secretin nanopore maycomprise one, two or three read-heads.

The amino acid modifications can be selected to improve translocation ofan analyte through the modified secretin nanopore, to improve capture ofan analyte into the modified secretin nanopore, and/or improve signalquality during detection of an analyte as it moves through the nanopore.Examples of the amino acid modifications are described in detail in thesection “Modified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide” above. While amodified secretin nanopore generally comprises one or more amino acidmodifications (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15,16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, or more andup to 40 amino acid modifications) of a lumenal surface, it should beappreciated that a modified secretin nanopores may have any of a varietyof different modifications. For example, a modified secretin nanoporemay have amino acid modifications (lumenal or non-lumenal) (e.g., 1, 2,3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, or more and upto 100 amino acid modifications) that promote membrane integration,promote oligomerization, promote subunit synthesis, promote nanoporestability, promote analyte capture, promote analyte release, improveanalyte detection, facilitate polymer analysis (e.g., polynucleotidesequences), etc.

By way of example only, FIG. 5 shows that an enzyme may interact withCsgG and InvG nanopores in different orientations due to the largercis-opening of the InvG nanopore. Without wishing to be bound by theory,due to the size difference of the enzyme and the nanopore opening (alsosee FIG. 6 ), the enzyme may wedge into the nanopore. Similar to CsgGnanopores of which the cis-opening was engineered to improve itsinteraction with an enzyme such as a polynucleotide binding problem, insome embodiments, the modified secretin nanopores described herein(e.g., the cis-opening or capture portion as described herein) can beengineered to facilitate a preferred orientation of an enzyme (e.g., apolynucleotide binding protein) such that it reduces the noise andimproves the signal and accuracy.

In some embodiments, the cis-opening may have a diameter of at leastabout 30 Å, at least about 40 Å, at least about 50 Å, at least about 60Å, at least about 70 Å, at least about 80 Å, at least about 90 Å, atleast about 100 Å, or higher. In some embodiments, the cis-opening mayhave a diameter of no more than about 150 Å, no more than about 140 Å,no more than about 130 Å, no more than about 120 Å, no more than about110 Å, no more than about 100 Å, no more than about 90 Å, no more thanabout 80 Å, no more than about 70 Å, no more than about 60 Å, no morethan about 50 Å, or lower. Combinations of the above-referenced rangesare also possible. For example, in some embodiments, the cis-opening mayhave a diameter in a range of about 30 Å to about 120 Å. In someembodiments, the cis-opening may have a diameter in a range of about 60Å to about 120 Å. In some embodiments, the cis-opening may have adiameter in a range of about 60 Å to about 100 Å. In some embodiments,the cis-opening may have a diameter in a range of about 30 Å to about 80Å. In one embodiment, the trans-opening may have a diameter of about 80Å.

In some embodiments, the trans-opening may have a diameter of at leastabout 30 Å, at least about 40 Å, at least about 50 Å, at least about 60Å, at least about 70 Å, at least about 80 Å, at least about 90 Å, atleast about 100 Å, or higher. In some embodiments, the trans-opening mayhave a diameter of no more than about 150 Å, no more than about 140 Å,no more than about 130 Å, no more than about 120 Å, no more than about110 Å, no more than about 100 Å, no more than about 90 Å, no more thanabout 80 Å, no more than about 70 Å, no more than about 60 Å, no morethan about 50 Å, or lower. Combinations of the above-referenced rangesare also possible. For example, in some embodiments, the trans-openingmay have a diameter in a range of about 30 Å to about 100 Å. In someembodiments, the trans-opening may have a diameter in a range of about40 Å to about 100 Å. In some embodiments, the trans-opening may have adiameter in a range of about 60 Å to about 100 Å. In some embodiments,the trans-opening may have a diameter in a range of about 30 Å to about80 Å. In one embodiment, the trans-opening may have a diameter of about80 Å.

In some embodiments, the lumenal surface may further define aconstriction within the lumen. The diameter of the lumen can vary alongan axis that extends between the cis-opening and trans-opening of thenanopore. As an illustration only, FIG. 3 shows the radius profile ofthe lumen of an InvG nanopore along the nanopore axis (extending betweenthe cis-opening and trans-opening), in which the lumen comprises aconstriction. As used herein, the term “constriction” refers to aportion of the lumen having a diameter that is smaller than the diameterof both the cis-opening and the trans-opening. For example, theconstriction may have a diameter that is about 5%-20% (inclusive) of thediameter of the cis-opening and/or the diameter of the trans-opening.For example, in some embodiments, the constriction may have a diameterof at least about 5 Å, at least about 6 Å, at least about 7 Å, at leastabout 8 Å, at least about 9 Å, at least about 10 Å, at least about 15 Å,at least about 20 Å, at least about 25 Å, or higher. In someembodiments, the constriction may have a diameter of no more than about30 Å, no more than about 25 Å, no more than about 20 Å, no more thanabout 15 Å, no more than about 10 Å, or lower. Combinations of theabove-referenced ranges are also possible. For example, in someembodiments, the constriction may have a diameter in a range of about 5Å to about 25 Å. In some embodiments, the constriction may have adiameter in a range of about 7 Å to about 25 Å. In some embodiments, theconstriction may have a diameter in a range of about 10 Å to about 25 Å.In one embodiment, the constriction may have a diameter of about 15 Å.

The constriction may be located about halfway between the cis-openingand trans-opening. In some embodiments, the constriction may be locatedat a distance of about 30 Å to about 60 Å away from the cis-opening. Insome embodiments, the constriction may be located at a distance of about30 Å to about 60 Å away from the trans-opening.

In some embodiments, the modified secretin nanopores described hereinmay comprise a lumenal surface defining a lumen that exhibits the radiusprofile of a natural secretin nanopore, for example, as shown in FIG. 3.

Any forms of secretin found in a microorganism (e.g., bacteria) may beused to produce the modified secretin nanopore described herein. In someembodiments, the secretin may be any member of a type II, type III, ortype IV secretion system. Non-limiting examples of a type II secretionsystem include GspD, PulD, and pIV. Examples of a type III secretionsystem include, but are not limited to InvG, MxiD, YscC, PscC, EscC, andSpiA. An exemplary type IV secretion system includes, but is not limitedto PilQ. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the modified secretinnanopore may comprise any embodiment of a modified secretin subunitpolypeptide described herein, e.g., in the section “Modified secretinnanopore subunit polypeptide” above.

In some embodiments, one or more (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,or more) of the amino acid modifications described herein (e.g., but notlimited to a positively-charged amino acid substitution and/orhydrophobic amino acid substitution) may be present in a portion of thelumenal surface that defines the constriction. For example, one or more(e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more) of the amino acidmodifications described herein (e.g., but not limited to apositively-charged amino acid substitution and/or hydrophobic amino acidsubstitution) may be present in the portion of the lumenal surface thatdefines the constriction of a modified secretin nanopore, e.g., amodified InvG nanopore. As an example only, FIG. 1A shows the locationof a constriction (labelled as “periplasmic gate” in the figure) of awild-type InvG nanopore. In some embodiments, the constriction of themodified InvG secretin nanopore may have one or more amino acidmodifications for improving translocation of an analyte through thenanopore and/or improving detection signal quality as the analyte movesthrough the nanopore. For example, the constriction of the modified InvGsecretin nanopore may comprise amino acid modifications at amino acidsD28, E225, R226, and/or E231 of SEQ ID NO: 1. In some embodiments, theconstriction of the modified InvG secretin nanopore may comprise one ormore (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6) of the following amino acidmodifications: (i) D28N/Q/T/S/G/R/K; (ii) E225N/Q/T/A/S/G/P/H/F/Y/R/K;(iii) R226N/Q/T/A/S/G/P/H/F/Y/K/V; (iv) deletion of E225; (v) deletionof R226; and (vi) E231N/Q/T/A/S/G/P/H/R/K.

In some embodiments, the lumenal surface may further comprise a captureportion (e.g., an analyte capture portion (e.g., a polynucleotidecapture portion)). As used herein, the term “capture portion” refers toa portion of a lumenal surface of a nanopore that favourably interacts,via one or more amino acids of one or more pore subunits, with a targetanalyte to permit or facilitate binding of the analyte to, and/ortranslocation of the analyte through, the nanopore. The capture portionmay be located between the cis-opening and the constriction of themodified secretin nanopore. In some embodiments, the capture portion maycorrespond to a N3 domain of a secretin nanopore (e.g., a type II, III,or IV secretion system). For example, the capture portion may correspondto a N3 domain of an InvG nanopore, e.g., as shown in FIG. 1A, or aportion of such a domain. FIG. 1B shows the peptide domains (withcorresponding amino acid positions in SEQ ID NO: 2) that encompass theN3 domain of an InvG nanopore. In some embodiments, a capture portion ofa lumenal surface comprises one or more amino acids of one or more poresubunits (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16,17, or more amino acids) on a cis-opening side of a constriction.

In some embodiments, the capture portion may correspond to a N3 domainof an InvG nanopore, e.g., as shown in FIG. 1A, or a portion of such adomain and include a “periplasmic constriction” as shown in FIG. 1A,which may act like a second constriction. Thus, in some embodiments, themodified secretin nanopore (e.g., a modified InvG nanopore) may comprisetwo constrictions—one located about halfway between the cis-opening andtrans-opening as described above and another located close to thecis-opening of the nanopore. Such a modified secretin nanopore may actlike a two reader nanopore in which an analyte (e.g., a polynucleotide)interacts with the pore lumen at the two constriction sites that aredistant from each other.

In some embodiments, the capture portion of the lumenal surface maycomprise one or more amino acid modifications (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, or more and up to 25 amino acidmodifications) for improving capture of a target analyte, e.g., a targetpolynucleotide. By way of example only, the capture portion of themodified InvG secretin nanopore may comprise amino acid modifications atamino acids E41, Q45, and/or E114 of SEQ ID NO: 1. In some embodiments,the capture portion of the modified InvG secretin nanopore may compriseone or more (e.g., 1, 2, or 3) of the following amino acidmodifications: (i) Q45R/K; (ii) E41N/Q/T/S/G/R/K; and (iii)E114N/Q/T/S/G/R/K.

Any of the modified secretin nanopores described herein can behomo-multimeric (e.g., all subunits within the nanopore are the same) orhetero-multimeric (e.g., at least one subunit is different from otherswithin the nanopore). The modified secretin nanopore may comprise anynumber of subunit polypeptides that are sufficient to form a lumen largeenough to permit a target polymer (e.g., polynucleotide) pass through.In some embodiments, the modified secretin nanopore may comprise about 9to about 20 subunit polypeptides (e.g., 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16,17, 18, 19, 20 subunit polypeptides), wherein at least one or more ofthe subunit polypeptides comprises one or more amino acid substitutions(e.g., positively-charged amino acid substitutions and/or hydrophobicamino acid modifications) as described herein.

The modified secretin nanopores may be isolated, substantially isolated,purified or substantially purified. The modified secretin nanopores canbe isolated or purified if it is completely free of any othercomponents, such as lipids or other pores. A pore is substantiallyisolated if it is mixed with carriers or diluents which will notinterfere with its intended use. For instance, a pore is substantiallyisolated or substantially purified if it is present in a form thatcomprises less than 10%, less than 5%, less than 2% or less than 1% ofother components, such as triblock copolymers, lipids or other pores.Alternatively, one or more of the modified secretin nanopores may bepresent in a membrane. Suitable membranes are discussed below.

The modified secretin nanopore may be present as an individual or singlepore. Alternatively, the modified secretin nanopores may be present in ahomologous or heterologous population of two or more pores. In someembodiments, the modified secretin nanopores may be arranged in anarray, e.g., each nanopore disposed in a membrane present in amicrowell. In some embodiments, the array may comprise the modifiedsecretin nanopores and at least one or more non-secretin nanopore knownin the art, e.g., but not limited to CsgG nanopores (e.g., as describedin WO 2016/034591); α-hemolysin nanopores (e.g., as described in WO2010/004273); lysenin nanopores (e.g., as described in WO 2013/153359);Msp nanopores (e.g., as described in WO 2012/107778; WO 2015/166275; andWO 2016/055778).

The modified secretin nanopores described herein can provide improvedanalyte detection and/or analysis. For illustration only, FIG. 4 showsthat while both CsgG and InvG nanopores have a constriction ofapproximately the same in diameter, the constriction of the CsgGnanopore has 3 amino acids at positions 51, 55, and 56 (based on wildtype sequence), respectively, and the InvG nanopore constriction has twoamino acids at position 396 and 397 (based on SEQ ID NO: 2),respectively. Further, the amino acid 51 at the constriction of the CsgGnanopore is also a little far from amino acid 55. In contrast, the aminoacids 396 and 397 at the constriction of the InvG nanopore are locatednext to each other, thus providing a sharper reader head. Therefore, insome embodiments, the modified secretin nanopores can provide a sharperreader head for analyte detection and/or analysis.

Homo-Multimeric Secretin Nanopores

Homo-multimeric nanopores comprising identical modified secretinnanopore subunit polypeptides are also provided herein. Thehomo-multimeric nanopore may comprise any embodiment of the modifiedsecretin nanopore subunit polypeptides described herein. Thehomo-multimeric nanopore can be used for characterizing an analyte,e.g., a target polynucleotide and/or a target polypeptide. Thehomo-multimeric nanopore described herein may have any of the advantagesdiscussed above.

The homo-multimeric pore may contain any number of modified secretinnanopore subunit polypeptides. The pore typically comprises at least 9,at least 10, at least 11, at least 12, at least 13, at least 14, atleast 15, at least 16, at least 17, at least 18, at least 19, at least20 identical modified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptides, such as 9,10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, or 20 identical modifiedsecretin nanopore subunit polypeptides.

Hetero-Multimeric Secretin Nanopores

Hetero-multimeric nanopores comprising at least one modified secretinnanopore subunit polypeptides are also provided herein. Thehetero-multimeric nanopores can be used for characterizing a targetanalyte, e.g., a target polynucleotide and/or a target polypeptide.Hetero-multimeric nanopores can be made using methods known in the art(e.g., Protein Sci. 2002 July; 11(7):1813-24).

The hetero-multimeric pore contains sufficient subunit polypeptide toform the pore. The subunit polypeptides may be of any type. The poretypically comprises at least 9, at least 10, at least 11, at least 12,at least 13, at least 14, at least 15, at least 16, at least 17, atleast 18, at least 19, at least 20 subunit polypeptides, such as 9, 10,11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, or 20 subunit polypeptides.

In some embodiments, all of the subunit polypeptides (such as 9, 10, 11,12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, or 20 subunit polypeptides) are modifiedsecretin nanopore subunit polypeptides and at least one of them differsfrom the others.

In some embodiments, at least one of the subunit polypeptides is not amodified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide as described herein. Inthis embodiment, the remaining monomers may be any one of the modifiedsecretin nanopore subunit polypeptides described herein. Hence, the poremay comprise 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4,3, 2, or 1 modified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide(s). Themodified secretin nanopore subunit polypeptide(s) that form the nanoporecan be the same or different.

Exemplary Uses of the Secretin Nanopores Described Herein

The modified secretin nanopores can be used for characterizing ordetecting an analyte, e.g., a target polynucleotide (e.g., a doublestranded polynucleotide and/or a single stranded polynucleotide) and/ora target polypeptide. Accordingly, methods for detecting and/orcharacterizing an analyte in a sample are also provided herein. Themethod comprises: providing an aqueous solution comprising anyembodiment of the modified secretin nanopores described herein and amembrane, wherein the modified secretin nanopore is disposed in themembrane; and adding an analyte to the aqueous solution on the cis-sideor trans-side of the membrane. In some embodiments, an enzyme such as apolynucleotide binding protein, e.g., helicases, exonucleases, and/orpolymerase, can also be added to the aqueous solution on the cis-side ortrans-side of the membrane. The enzyme such as a polynucleotide bindingprotein may enter the lumen or be in contact (via, e.g., but not limitedto ionic and/or hydrophobic interactions) or covalently attached to thecis-opening or trans-opening, of the modified secretin nanopores. Insome embodiments, the analyte may bind to the enzyme such as apolynucleotide binding protein. An analyte may be a targetpolynucleotide, polypeptide, ligand, or hydrophobic molecule.

In some embodiments, the secretin nanopores may be used to detectmolecules that bind to or otherwise interact with an enzyme providedwithin the cis or trans vestibule that give rise to a change inconformation of the enzyme. The change in conformation can give rise toa change in ion current flow through the nanopore. Examples of suchmolecules are drugs, antibodies, peptides, polynucleotides and so on.Examples of enzymes that interact with small molecules such as drugsinclude but are not limited to Cytochrome p450 enzymes.

In some embodiments, the method may further comprise applying apotential across the membrane. The applied potential may be a voltagepotential. Alternatively, the applied potential may be a chemicalpotential. An example of this is using a salt gradient across amembrane, such as an amphiphilic layer. A salt gradient is disclosed inHolden et al., J Am Chem Soc. 2007 Jul. 11; 129(27):8650-5. The methodmay be carried out with a voltage applied across the membrane andnanopore. The voltage used may vary from +5 V to −5 V, such as from +4 Vto −4 V, +3 V to −3 V or +2 V to −2 V. In some embodiments, the voltageused may be from −600 mV to +600 mV or −400 mV to +400 mV. In someembodiments, the voltage used may be in a range having a lower limitselected from −400 mV, −300 mV, −200 mV, −150 mV, −100 mV, −50 mV, −20mV and 0 mV and an upper limit independently selected from +10 mV, +20mV, +50 mV, +100 mV, +150 mV, +200 mV, +300 mV and +400 mV. In someembodiments, the voltage used may be in the range of 100 mV to 240 mV orin the range of 120 mV to 220 mV. It is possible to increasediscrimination between different nucleotides by a pore by using anincreased applied potential.

In some embodiments, the method may further comprise, upon applicationof a potential across the membrane, detecting a signal in response to ananalyte passing through the nanopore. The signal may be an electricalmeasurement and/or an optical measurement. Possible electricalmeasurements include: current measurements, impedance measurements,tunnelling measurements (Ivanov A P et al., Nano Lett. 2011 Jan. 12;11(1):279-85), and FET measurements (International Application WO2005/124888). Optical measurements may be combined with electricalmeasurements (Soni G V et al., Rev Sci Instrum. 2010 January;81(1):014301). The measurement may be a transmembrane currentmeasurement such as measurement of ionic current flowing through thepore. Alternatively the measurement may be a fluorescence measurementindicative of ion flow through the channel such as disclosed by Heron etal, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2009, 131 (5), 1652-1653 or measurement of avoltage across the membrane using a FET. In some embodiments, the methodmay further comprise, upon application of a potential across themembrane, detecting an ionic current flow through the nanopore as ananalyte (e.g., but not limited to a target polynucleotide) interactsand/or moves through the nanopore. In some embodiments, the methods maybe carried out using a patch clamp or a voltage clamp. In someembodiments, the methods may be carried out using a voltage clamp.Electrical measurements may be made using standard single channelrecording equipment as describe in Stoddart D et al., Proc Natl AcadSci, 12; 106(19):7702-7, Lieberman K R et al, J Am Chem Soc. 2010;132(50):17961-72, and International Application WO 2000/28312.Alternatively, electrical measurements may be made using a multi-channelsystem, for example as described in International Application WO2009/077734 and International Application WO 2011/067559.

In alternative embodiments, the method may further comprise, uponapplication of a potential across the membrane, detecting an analyte bymeasuring the movement or conformational change of an enzyme (e.g., apolynucleotide binding protein or a ligand binding protein) upon bindingto the analyte. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the enzymemay reside within the lumen of the modified secretin nanopore when theanalyte is bound to the enzyme. In these embodiments, an ionic currentpassing through the nanopore may vary with the movement orconformational change of the enzyme bound to an analyte, as compared toan enzyme with no analyte bound thereto. Thus, the presence and/or typeof an analyte can be detected by measuring changes in the level of theionic current and/or current signature generated across the nanopore.

In any of the methods described herein, the aqueous solution in whichthe modified secretin nanopore and the membrane are disposed maycomprise any charge carriers, such as metal salts, for example alkalimetal salt, halide salts, for example chloride salts, such as alkalimetal chloride salt. Charge carriers may include ionic liquids ororganic salts, for example tetramethyl ammonium chloride,trimethylphenyl ammonium chloride, phenyltrimethyl ammonium chloride, or1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium chloride. In the exemplary apparatusdiscussed herein, the salt is present in the aqueous solution in thechamber. Potassium chloride (KCl), sodium chloride (NaCl), caesiumchloride (CsCl) or a mixture of potassium ferrocyanide and potassiumferricyanide is typically used. KCl, NaCl and a mixture of potassiumferrocyanide and potassium ferricyanide may be used. The charge carriersmay be asymmetric across the membrane. For instance, the type and/orconcentration of the charge carriers may be different on each side ofthe membrane.

In any of the methods described herein, the aqueous solution in whichthe modified secretin nanopore and the membrane are disposed maycomprise salt. The salt concentration may be at saturation. The saltconcentration may be 3 M or lower and is typically from 0.1 to 2.5 M,from 0.3 to 1.9 M, from 0.5 to 1.8 M, from 0.7 to 1.7 M, from 0.9 to 1.6M or from 1 M to 1.4 M. The salt concentration is preferably from 150 mMto 1 M. The method is preferably carried out using a salt concentrationof at least 0.3 M, such as at least 0.4 M, at least 0.5 M, at least 0.6M, at least 0.8 M, at least 1.0 M, at least 1.5 M, at least 2.0 M, atleast 2.5 M or at least 3.0 M. High salt concentrations provide a highsignal to noise ratio and allow for currents indicative of the presenceof a nucleotide to be identified against the background of normalcurrent fluctuations.

In some embodiments, the aqueous solution may be a low ionic strengthsolution. As used herein, the term “low ionic strength solution” refersto a solution with an ionic strength of less than 2 M, including, e.g.,less than 1 M, less than 900 mM, less than 800 mM, less than 700 mM,less than 600 mM, less than 500 mM, less than 400 mM, less than 300 mM,less than 200 mM, less than 150 mM, or lower. In some embodiments, alower ionic strength solution has an ionic strength of at least about 50mM, at least about 100 mM, at least about 150 mM, at least about 200 mM,at least about 300 mM, at least about 400 mM, at least about 500 mM, atleast about 600 mM, at least about 700 mM, at least about 800 mM, atleast about 900 mM, at least about 1 M, or higher. Combinations of theabove-references ranges are also encompassed. For example, a low ionicstrength solution may have an ionic strength of about 100 mM to about600 mM, or about 150 mM to about 300 mM. Any salt can be used to yield asolution with appropriate ionic strength. In some embodiments, alkalinesalt (e.g., but not limited to potassium chloride or sodium chloride)can be used in the low ionic strength solution.

The methods described herein are typically carried out in the presenceof a buffer. In the exemplary apparatus discussed herein, the buffer ispresent in the aqueous solution in the chamber. Any buffer may be usedin the methods described herein. Typically, the buffer is phosphatebuffer. Other suitable buffers are HEPES and Tris-HCl buffer. Themethods are typically carried out at a pH of from 4.0 to 12.0, from 4.5to 10.0, from 5.0 to 9.0, from 5.5 to 8.8, from 6.0 to 8.7 or from 7.0to 8.8 or 7.5 to 8.5. The pH used is preferably about 7.5 or 8.0.

The methods described herein may be carried out at from 0° C. to 100°C., from 15° C. to 95° C., from 16° C. to 90° C., from 17° C. to 85° C.,from 18° C. to 80° C., 19° C. to 70° C., or from 20° C. to 60° C. Themethods are typically carried out at room temperature. The methods areoptionally carried out at a temperature that supports enzyme function,such as about 37° C.

In some embodiments, the methods described herein can be used todiscriminate between different nucleotides under a range of conditions,which is further described in detail in the section “Polynucleotidecharacterization” below. For example, the methods described herein canbe used to discriminate between nucleotides under conditions that arefavourable to the characterizing, such as sequencing, of nucleic acids.The extent to which the modified secretin nanopores used in the methodscan discriminate between different nucleotides can be controlled byaltering the applied potential, the salt concentration, the buffer, thetemperature and the presence of additives, such as urea, betaine andDTT. This allows the function of the pores to be fine-tuned,particularly when sequencing. This is discussed in more detail below.The modified secretin nanopores may also be used to identifypolynucleotide polymers from the interaction with one or more monomersrather than on a nucleotide by nucleotide basis. In some embodiments,the modified secretin nanopores can also be used to distinguish modifiedbases, e.g., between methylated and unmethylated nucleotides.

FIG. 2 shows that while a CsgG nanopore has 9 monomers or subunits andan InvG nanopore has 15 monomers or subunits, both nanopores have aconstriction of approximately the same in diameter. Unlike CsgGnanopores (e.g., as described in WO 2016/034591), in some embodiments,the modified secretin nanopores (e.g., but not limited to InvGnanopores) can be used to sequence DNA and/or RNA.

In some embodiments, the methods described herein can be used tocharacterize and/or detect or characterize a molecule or a ligand. Forexample, the modified secretin nanopores used in the methods describedherein may be used for characterizing ligand-enzyme interactions (e.g.,nucleic acid-protein interactions or protein-protein interactions). Insome embodiments, the nanopores can be used interrogate ligand-enzymeinteractions (e.g., protein-nucleic acid interaction or protein-proteininteraction) using different sensing modes such as, for example, byscanning and mapping the locations of binding sites along a ligand(e.g., nucleic acid or polypeptide) and/or by probing the strength ofinteractions between a ligand and an enzyme (e.g., between a protein andnucleic acid or between a protein and a protein). In some embodiments,native charges of a nucleic acid or protein may be leveraged to apply anelectrophoretic force to a nucleic acid-protein complex or aprotein-protein complex. For example, in some embodiments, DNA-proteininteractions may be evaluated using voltage-driven threading of singleDNA molecules through a protein nanopore. In such embodiments,electrical force applied to an individual DNA protein complex (e.g., aDNA-exonuclease I complex, a DNA-helicase complex, a DNA-clamp complex)may pull the two molecules apart, while at the same time ion currentchanges may be used to evaluate the dissociation rate of the complex. Insome embodiments, modified secretin nanopores provided herein may beused for detection and characterization of nucleic acid-proteininteractions involving nucleic acid and other nucleic acid bindingproteins such as transcription factors, enzymes, DNA packaging proteinsand others. In some embodiments, modified secretin nanopores providedherein may be used for detection and characterization of protein-proteininteractions involving a ligand and other ligand binding proteins.

In some embodiments, at least a portion of an enzyme (e.g., but notlimited to polynucleotide binding protein) can enter the lumen of themodified secretin nanopores, for example, as shown in FIG. 6 .Localization of the enzyme inside the nanopore may restrict undesirablemovements of the enzyme and thus result in improved signals. Forexample, as shown with ClyA nanopores (e.g., as described inInternational Patent Application Publications WO 2014/153625 and WO2016/166232), the modified secretin nanopores as described herein, insome embodiments, can be used to detect an analyte by measuring themovement of its binding to an enzyme, at least a portion of which ispresent inside the nanopore. Since the constriction of secretinnanopores such as InvG nanopores is much smaller than that of ClyAnanopores, signal generating from such an event may be more pronouncedwith secretin nanopores such as InvG nanopores. Thus, in someembodiments, the modified secretin nanopores and the methods describedherein can provide a new area of molecular testing.

Polynucleotide Characterization

Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a method ofcharacterizing a target polynucleotide. The method comprises: (a)providing in an aqueous solution a modified secretin nanopore accordingto any embodiment described herein and a membrane, wherein the modifiedsecretin nanopore is present in the membrane; (b) adding in the aqueoussolution of step (a) the target polynucleotide; and (c) measuring,during application of a potential across the nanopore, ion flow throughthe modified secretin nanopore, wherein the ion flow measurements areindicative of one or more characteristics of the target polynucleotide.In some embodiments, the target polynucleotide is added to the cis sideof the aqueous solution. In some embodiments, the target polynucleotideis added to the trans side of the aqueous solution. In some embodiments,the aqueous solution is present in an embodiment of an apparatusdescribed herein.

The target polynucleotide may also be called the template polynucleotideor the polynucleotide of interest.

Polynucleotide

A polynucleotide, such as a nucleic acid, is a macromolecule comprisingtwo or more nucleotides. The polynucleotide or nucleic acid may compriseany combination of any nucleotides. The nucleotides can be naturallyoccurring or artificial. One or more nucleotides in the polynucleotidecan be oxidized or methylated. One or more nucleotides in thepolynucleotide may be damaged. For instance, the polynucleotide maycomprise a pyrimidine dimer. Such dimers are typically associated withdamage by ultraviolet light and are the primary cause of skin melanomas.One or more nucleotides in the polynucleotide may be modified, forinstance with a label or a tag. Suitable labels are described below. Thepolynucleotide may comprise one or more spacers.

A nucleotide typically contains a nucleobase, a sugar and at least onephosphate group. The nucleobase and sugar form a nucleoside.

The nucleobase is typically heterocyclic. Nucleobases include, but arenot limited to, purines and pyrimidines and more specifically adenine(A), guanine (G), thymine (T), uracil (U) and cytosine (C).

The sugar is typically a pentose sugar. Nucleotide sugars include, butare not limited to, ribose and deoxyribose. The sugar is preferably adeoxyribose.

The polynucleotide preferably comprises the following nucleosides:deoxyadenosine (dA), deoxyuridine (dU) and/or thymidine (dT),deoxyguanosine (dG) and deoxycytidine (dC).

The nucleotide is typically a ribonucleotide or deoxyribonucleotide. Thenucleotide typically contains a monophosphate, diphosphate ortriphosphate. The nucleotide may comprise more than three phosphates,such as 4 or 5 phosphates. Phosphates may be attached on the 5′ or 3′side of a nucleotide. Nucleotides include, but are not limited to,adenosine monophosphate (AMP), guanosine monophosphate (GMP), thymidinemonophosphate (TMP), uridine monophosphate (UMP), 5-methylcytidinemonophosphate, 5-hydroxymethylcytidine monophosphate, cytidinemonophosphate (CMP), cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), cyclicguanosine monophosphate (cGMP), deoxyadenosine monophosphate (dAMP),deoxyguanosine monophosphate (dGMP), deoxythymidine monophosphate(dTMP), deoxyuridine monophosphate (dUMP), deoxycytidine monophosphate(dCMP) and deoxymethylcytidine monophosphate. The nucleotides arepreferably selected from AMP, TMP, GMP, CMP, UMP, dAMP, dTMP, dGMP, dCMPand dUMP.

A nucleotide may be abasic (i.e., lack a nucleobase). A nucleotide mayalso lack a nucleobase and a sugar.

The nucleotides in the polynucleotide may be attached to each other inany manner. The nucleotides are typically attached by their sugar andphosphate groups as in nucleic acids. The nucleotides may be connectedvia their nucleobases as in pyrimidine dimers.

The polynucleotide may be single stranded or double stranded. At least aportion of the polynucleotide is preferably double stranded.

The polynucleotide can be a nucleic acid, such as deoxyribonucleic acid(DNA) or ribonucleic acid (RNA). The polynucleotide can comprise onestrand of RNA hybridized to one strand of DNA. The polynucleotide may beany synthetic nucleic acid known in the art, such as peptide nucleicacid (PNA), glycerol nucleic acid (GNA), threose nucleic acid (TNA),locked nucleic acid (LNA) or other synthetic polymers with nucleotideside chains. The PNA backbone is composed of repeatingN-(2-aminoethyl)-glycine units linked by peptide bonds. The GNA backboneis composed of repeating glycol units linked by phosphodiester bonds.The TNA backbone is composed of repeating threose sugars linked togetherby phosphodiester bonds. LNA is formed from ribonucleotides as discussedabove having an extra bridge connecting the 2′ oxygen and 4′ carbon inthe ribose moiety.

The polynucleotide is most preferably ribonucleic nucleic acid (RNA) ordeoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).

The polynucleotide can be any length. For example, the polynucleotidecan be at least 10, at least 50, at least 100, at least 150, at least200, at least 250, at least 300, at least 400 or at least 500nucleotides or nucleotide pairs in length. The polynucleotide can be1000 or more nucleotides or nucleotide pairs, 5000 or more nucleotidesor nucleotide pairs in length or 100000 or more nucleotides ornucleotide pairs in length.

Any number of polynucleotides can be investigated. For instance, themethod described herein may concern characterizing 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,9, 10, 20, 30, 50, 100 or more polynucleotides. If two or morepolynucleotides are characterized, they may be different polynucleotidesor two instances of the same polynucleotide.

The polynucleotide can be naturally occurring or artificial. Forinstance, the method may be used to verify the sequence of amanufactured oligonucleotide. The method is typically carried out invitro.

The polynucleotide may comprise an attached species such as a protein oranalyte. The polynucleotide may comprise a hybridized probe.

Characterization

The method for polynucleotide characterization may involve measuringtwo, three, four or five or more characteristics of the polynucleotide.The one or more characteristics are preferably selected from (i) thelength of the polynucleotide, (ii) the identity of the polynucleotide,(iii) the sequence of the polynucleotide, (iv) the secondary structureof the polynucleotide and (v) whether or not the polynucleotide ismodified. Any combination of (i) to (v) may be measured in accordancewith the methods described herein, such as {i}, {ii}, {iii}, {iv}, {v},{i,ii}, {i,iii}, {i,iv}, {i,v}, {ii,iii}, {ii,iv}, {ii,v}, {iii,iv},{iii,v}, {iv,v}, {i,ii,iii}, {i,ii,iv}, {i,ii,v}, {i,iii,iv}, {i,iii,v},{i,iv,v}, {ii,iii,iv}, {ii,iii,v}, {ii,iv,v}, {iii,iv,v}, {i,ii,iii,iv},{i,ii,iv,v}, {i,ii,iv,v}, {i,iii,iv,v}, {ii,iii,iv,v} or{i,ii,iii,iv,v}. Different combinations of (i) to (v) may be measuredfor the first polynucleotide compared with the second polynucleotide,including any of those combinations listed above.

For (i), the length of the polynucleotide may be measured for example bydetermining the number of interactions between the polynucleotide andthe pore or the duration of interaction between the polynucleotide andthe pore.

For (ii), the identity of the polynucleotide may be measured in a numberof ways. The identity of the polynucleotide may be measured inconjunction with measurement of the sequence of the polynucleotide orwithout measurement of the sequence of the polynucleotide. The former isstraightforward; the polynucleotide is sequenced and thereby identified.The latter may be done in several ways. For instance, the presence of aparticular motif in the polynucleotide may be measured (withoutmeasuring the remaining sequence of the polynucleotide). Alternatively,the measurement of a particular electrical and/or optical signal in themethod may identify the polynucleotide as coming from a particularsource.

For (iii), the sequence of the polynucleotide can be determined asdescribed previously. Suitable sequencing methods, particularly thoseusing electrical measurements, are described in Stoddart D et al., ProcNatl Acad Sci, 12; 106(19):7702-7, Lieberman K R et al, J Am Chem Soc.2010; 132(50):17961-72, and International Application WO 2000/28312.

For (iv), the secondary structure may be measured in a variety of ways.For instance, if the method involves an electrical measurement, thesecondary structure may be measured using a change in dwell time or achange in current flowing through the pore. This allows regions ofsingle-stranded and double-stranded polynucleotide to be distinguished.

For (v), the presence or absence of any modification may be measured.The method preferably comprises determining whether or not thepolynucleotide is modified by methylation, by oxidation, by damage, withone or more proteins or with one or more labels, tags or spacers.Specific modifications will result in specific interactions with thepore which can be measured using the methods described below. Forinstance, methylcytosine may be distinguished from cytosine on the basisof the current flowing through the pore during its interaction with eachnucleotide.

The target polynucleotide is contacted with any one of the modifiedsecretin nanopores described herein. The pore is typically present in amembrane. Suitable membranes are discussed below. The method may becarried out using any apparatus that is suitable for investigating amembrane/pore system in which a pore is present in a membrane. Themethod may be carried out using any apparatus that is suitable fortransmembrane pore sensing. For example, the apparatus comprises achamber comprising an aqueous solution and a barrier that separates thechamber into two sections. The barrier typically has an aperture inwhich the membrane containing the pore is formed. Alternatively thebarrier forms the membrane in which the pore is present.

The method may be carried out using the apparatus described inInternational Application No. PCT/GB08/000562 (published as WO2008/102120), the contents of which are incorporated herein byreference.

A variety of different types of measurements may be made. This includeswithout limitation: electrical measurements and optical measurements.Possible electrical measurements include: current measurements,impedance measurements, tunneling measurements (Ivanov A P et al., NanoLett. 2011 Jan. 12; 11(1):279-85), and FET measurements (InternationalApplication WO 2005/124888). Optical measurements may be combined withelectrical measurements (Soni G V et al., Rev Sci Instrum. 2010 January;81(1):014301). The measurement may be a transmembrane currentmeasurement such as measurement of ionic current flowing through thepore. Alternatively the measurement may be a fluorescence measurementindicative of ion flow through the channel such as disclosed by Heron etal, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2009, 131 (5), 1652-1653 or measurement of avoltage across the membrane using a FET.

Electrical measurements may be made using standard single channelrecording equipment as describe in Stoddart D et al., Proc Natl AcadSci, 12; 106(19):7702-7, Lieberman K R et al, J Am Chem Soc. 2010;132(50):17961-72, and International Application WO 2000/28312.Alternatively, electrical measurements may be made using a multi-channelsystem, for example as described in International Application WO2009/077734 and International Application WO 2011/067559.

The method can be carried out with a potential applied across themembrane. The applied potential may be a voltage potential.Alternatively, the applied potential may be a chemical potential. Anexample of this is using a salt gradient across a membrane, such as anamphiphilic layer. A salt gradient is disclosed in Holden et al., J AmChem Soc. 2007 Jul. 11; 129(27):8650-5. In some instances, the currentpassing through the pore as a polynucleotide moves with respect to thepore is used to estimate or determine the sequence of thepolynucleotide. This may be described as strand sequencing.

The method may involve measuring the current passing through the pore asthe polynucleotide moves with respect to the pore. Therefore theapparatus used in the method may also comprise an electrical circuitcapable of applying a potential and measuring an electrical signalacross the membrane and pore. The methods may be carried out using apatch clamp or a voltage clamp. The methods preferably involve the useof a voltage clamp.

The method may involve the measuring of a current passing through thepore as the polynucleotide moves with respect to the pore. Suitableconditions for measuring ionic currents through transmembrane proteinpores are known in the art and also provided herein.

Enzymes Such as Polynucleotide Binding Protein

In some embodiments, the method for characterizing an analyte (e.g., atarget polynucleotide or polypeptide) may include adding an enzyme suchas a polynucleotide binding protein in an aqueous solution comprising ananalyte such that the enzyme binds to the analyte (e.g., targetpolynucleotide or polypeptide). In some embodiments, the binding of theanalyte (e.g., target polynucleotide) to the enzyme such as apolynucleotide binding protein controls the movement of the analyte(e.g., target polynucleotide) through the modified secretin nanopore,thereby characterizing the analyte (e.g., target polynucleotide). Insome embodiments, the movement of an analyte (e.g., target polypeptideor ligand) binding to an enzyme such as a ligand-binding protein can bemeasured to detect the analyte and/or characterize the interaction ofthe analyte with the enzyme.

Polynucleotide binding protein: The polynucleotide binding protein maybe any protein that is capable of binding to the polynucleotide andcontrolling its movement through the pore. Examples of thepolynucleotide binding proteins include, but are not limited tohelicases, polymerases, exonucleases, DNA clamps, etc. Thepolynucleotide may be contacted with the polynucleotide binding proteinand the pore in any order. It is preferred that, when the polynucleotideis contacted with the polynucleotide binding protein, such as ahelicase, and the pore, the polynucleotide firstly forms a complex withthe protein. When the voltage is applied across the pore, thepolynucleotide/protein complex then forms a complex with the pore andcontrols the movement of the polynucleotide through the pore.

Any steps in the method using a polynucleotide binding protein aretypically carried out in the presence of free nucleotides or freenucleotide analogues and an enzyme cofactor that facilitates the actionof the polynucleotide binding protein.

Helicase(s) and Molecular Brake(s)

In one embodiment, the method comprises:

-   -   (a) providing the polynucleotide with one or more helicases and        one or more molecular brakes attached to the polynucleotide;    -   (b) adding the polynucleotide in the low ionic strength solution        that comprises a modified secretin nanopore present in a        membrane, and applying a potential across the pore such that the        one or more helicases and the one or more molecular brakes are        brought together and both control the movement of the        polynucleotide through the pore;    -   (c) measuring, during application of a potential across the        nanopore, ion flow through the modified secretin nanopore, as        the polynucleotide moves with respect to the pore wherein the        ion flow measurements are indicative of one or more        characteristics of the polynucleotide and thereby characterizing        the polynucleotide. This type of method is discussed in detail        in International Application No. PCT/GB2014/052737 (published as        WO 2015/110777), the contents of which are incorporated herein        by reference.

Membrane

The modified secretin nanopores described herein may be present in amembrane. In the method of characterizing an analyte (e.g., a targetpolynucleotide, polypeptide, or a ligand), the analyte (e.g., a targetpolynucleotide, polypeptide, or a ligand) is typically contacted with amodified secretin nanopore in a membrane. Any membrane may be used.Suitable membranes are well-known in the art. The membrane is preferablyan amphiphilic layer. An amphiphilic layer is a layer formed fromamphiphilic molecules, such as phospholipids, which have bothhydrophilic and lipophilic properties. The amphiphilic molecules may besynthetic or naturally occurring. Non-naturally occurring amphiphilesand amphiphiles which form a monolayer are known in the art and include,for example, block copolymers (Gonzalez-Perez et al., Langmuir, 2009,25, 10447-10450). Block copolymers are polymeric materials in which twoor more monomer sub-units that are polymerized together to create asingle polymer chain. Block copolymers typically have properties thatare contributed by each monomer sub-unit. However, a block copolymer mayhave unique properties that polymers formed from the individualsub-units do not possess. Block copolymers can be engineered such thatone of the monomer sub-units is hydrophobic or lipophilic, whilst theother sub-unit(s) are hydrophilic whilst in aqueous media. In this case,the block copolymer may possess amphiphilic properties and may form astructure that mimics a biological membrane. The block copolymer may bea diblock (consisting of two monomer sub-units), but may also beconstructed from more than two monomer sub-units to form more complexarrangements that behave as amphiphiles. The copolymer may be atriblock, tetrablock or pentablock copolymer. The membrane is preferablya triblock copolymer membrane.

Archaebacterial bipolar tetraether lipids are naturally occurring lipidsthat are constructed such that the lipid forms a monolayer membrane.These lipids are generally found in extremophiles that survive in harshbiological environments, thermophiles, halophiles and acidophiles. Theirstability is believed to derive from the fused nature of the finalbilayer. It is straightforward to construct block copolymer materialsthat mimic these biological entities by creating a triblock polymer thathas the general motif hydrophilic-hydrophobic-hydrophilic. This materialmay form monomeric membranes that behave similarly to lipid bilayers andencompass a range of phase behaviours from vesicles through to laminarmembranes. Membranes formed from these triblock copolymers hold severaladvantages over biological lipid membranes. Because the triblockcopolymer is synthesized, the exact construction can be carefullycontrolled to provide the correct chain lengths and properties to formmembranes and to interact with pores and other proteins.

Block copolymers may also be constructed from sub-units that are notclassed as lipid sub-materials; for example a hydrophobic polymer may bemade from siloxane or other non-hydrocarbon based monomers. Thehydrophilic sub-section of block copolymer can also possess low proteinbinding properties, which allows the creation of a membrane that ishighly resistant when exposed to raw biological samples. This head groupunit may also be derived from non-classical lipid head-groups.

Triblock copolymer membranes also have increased mechanical andenvironmental stability compared with biological lipid membranes, forexample a much higher operational temperature or pH range. The syntheticnature of the block copolymers provides a platform to customize polymerbased membranes for a wide range of applications.

The membrane is most preferably one of the membranes disclosed inInternational Application No. PCT/GB2013/052766 (published as WO2014/064443) or PCT/GB2013/052767 (published as WO 2014/064444), thecontents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The amphiphilic molecules may be chemically-modified or functionalizedto facilitate coupling of the analyte (e.g., a target polynucleotide,polypeptide, or a ligand).

The amphiphilic layer may be a monolayer or a bilayer. The amphiphiliclayer is typically planar. The amphiphilic layer may be curved. Theamphiphilic layer may be supported.

Amphiphilic membranes are typically naturally mobile, essentially actingas two dimensional fluids with lipid diffusion rates of approximately10⁻⁸ cm s⁻¹. This means that the pore and coupled analyte (e.g., atarget polynucleotide, polypeptide, or a ligand) can typically movewithin an amphiphilic membrane.

The membrane may be a lipid bilayer. Lipid bilayers are models of cellmembranes and serve as excellent platforms for a range of experimentalstudies. For example, lipid bilayers can be used for in vitroinvestigation of membrane proteins by single-channel recording.Alternatively, lipid bilayers can be used as biosensors to detect thepresence of a range of substances. The lipid bilayer may be any lipidbilayer. Suitable lipid bilayers include, but are not limited to, aplanar lipid bilayer, a supported bilayer or a liposome. The lipidbilayer is preferably a planar lipid bilayer. Suitable lipid bilayersare disclosed in International Application No. PCT/GB08/000563(published as WO 2008/102121), International Application No.PCT/GB08/004127 (published as WO 2009/077734) and InternationalApplication No. PCT/GB2006/001057 (published as WO 2006/100484), thecontents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference.

In some embodiments, the analyte (e.g., a target polynucleotide,polypeptide, or a ligand) can be coupled to the membrane comprising anyone of the modified secretin nanopores described herein. The method maycomprise coupling the analyte (e.g., a target polynucleotide,polypeptide, or a ligand) to the membrane comprising any one of themodified secretin nanopores described herein. The analyte (e.g., atarget polynucleotide, polypeptide, or a ligand) is preferably coupledto the membrane using one or more anchors. The analyte (e.g., a targetpolynucleotide, polypeptide, or a ligand) may be coupled to the membraneusing any known method.

Double Stranded Polynucleotide Sequencing

In some embodiments, the polynucleotide may be double stranded. If thepolynucleotide is double stranded, the method may further comprisesbefore the contacting step ligating a hairpin adaptor to one end of thepolynucleotide. The two strands of the polynucleotide may then beseparated as or before the polynucleotide is contacted or interactedwith a modified secretin nanopore as described herein. The two strandsmay be separated as the polynucleotide movement through the pore iscontrolled by a polynucleotide binding protein, such as a helicase, ormolecular brake. This is described in International Application No.PCT/GB2012/051786 (published as WO 2013/014451), the contents of whichare incorporated herein by reference. Linking and interrogating bothstrands on a double stranded construct in this way increases theefficiency and accuracy of characterization.

Round the Corner Sequencing

In a preferred embodiment, a target double stranded polynucleotide isprovided with a hairpin loop adaptor at one end and the method comprisescontacting the polynucleotide with any one of the modified secretinnanopores described herein such that both strands of the polynucleotidemove through the pore and taking one or more measurements as the bothstrands of the polynucleotide move with respect to the pore wherein themeasurements are indicative of one or more characteristics of thestrands of the polynucleotide and thereby characterizing the targetdouble stranded polynucleotide. Any of the embodiments discussed aboveequally apply to this embodiment.

Leader Sequence

Before the contacting step, the method preferably comprises attaching tothe polynucleotide a leader sequence which preferentially threads intothe pore. The leader sequence facilitates any of the methods describedherein. The leader sequence is designed to preferentially thread intoany one of the modified secretin nanopores described herein and therebyfacilitate the movement of polynucleotide through the nanopore. Theleader sequence can also be used to link the polynucleotide to the oneor more anchors as discussed above.

Modified Polynucleotides

Before characterization, a target polynucleotide may be modified bycontacting the polynucleotide with a polymerase and a population of freenucleotides under conditions in which the polymerase forms a modifiedpolynucleotide using the target polynucleotide as a template, whereinthe polymerase replaces one or more of the nucleotide species in thetarget polynucleotide with a different nucleotide species when formingthe modified polynucleotide. The modified polynucleotide may then beprovided with one or more helicases attached to the polynucleotide andone or more molecular brakes attached to the polynucleotide. This typeof modification is described in International Application No.PCT/GB2015/050483, the contents of which are incorporated herein byreference. Any of the polymerases discussed herein may be used.

The template polynucleotide is contacted with the polymerase underconditions in which the polymerase forms a modified polynucleotide usingthe template polynucleotide as a template. Such conditions are known inthe art. For instance, the polynucleotide is typically contacted withthe polymerase in commercially available polymerase buffer, such asbuffer from New England Biolabs®. A primer or a 3′ hairpin is typicallyused as the nucleation point for polymerase extension.

Characterization, such as sequencing, of a polynucleotide using atransmembrane pore typically involves analyzing polymer units made up ofk nucleotides where k is a positive integer (i.e., “k-mers”). This isdiscussed in International Application No. PCT/GB2012/052343 (publishedas WO 2013/041878), the contents of which are incorporated herein byreference. While it is desirable to have clear separation betweencurrent measurements for different k-mers, it is common for some ofthese measurements to overlap. Especially with high numbers of polymerunits in the k-mer, i.e., high values of k, it can become difficult toresolve the measurements produced by different k-mers, to the detrimentof deriving information about the polynucleotide, for example anestimate of the underlying sequence of the polynucleotide. Variousalgorithms may be employed to characterize the sequence, such as use ofa Hidden Markov Model or recurrent neural network. The sequence may bealigned to a reference sequence using methods such as disclosed inInternational Patent Application Nos. PCT/GB2015/050776 (published as WO2015/140535) and PCT/GB2015/053083 (published as WO 2016/059427), thecontents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference.

By replacing one or more nucleotide species in the target polynucleotidewith different nucleotide species in the modified polynucleotide, themodified polynucleotide contains k-mers which differ from those in thetarget polynucleotide. The different k-mers in the modifiedpolynucleotide are capable of producing different current measurementsfrom the k-mers in the target polynucleotide and so the modifiedpolynucleotide provides different information from the targetpolynucleotide. The additional information from the modifiedpolynucleotide can make it easier to characterize the targetpolynucleotide. In some instances, the modified polynucleotide itselfmay be easier to characterize. For instance, the modified polynucleotidemay be designed to include k-mers with an increased separation or aclear separation between their current measurements or k-mers which havea decreased noise.

The polymerase preferably replaces two or more of the nucleotide speciesin the target polynucleotide with different nucleotide species whenforming the modified polynucleotide. The polymerase may replace each ofthe two or more nucleotide species in the target polynucleotide with adistinct nucleotide species. The polymerase may replace each of the twoor more nucleotide species in the target polynucleotide with the samenucleotide species.

If the target polynucleotide is DNA, the different nucleotide species inthe modified typically comprises a nucleobase which differs fromadenine, guanine, thymine, cytosine or methylcytosine and/or comprises anucleoside which differs from deoxyadenosine, deoxyguanosine, thymidine,deoxycytidine or deoxymethylcytidine. If the target polynucleotide isRNA, the different nucleotide species in the modified polynucleotidetypically comprises a nucleobase which differs from adenine, guanine,uracil, cytosine or methylcytosine and/or comprises a nucleoside whichdiffers from adenosine, guanosine, uridine, cytidine or methylcytidine.The different nucleotide species may be any of the universal nucleotidesdiscussed above.

The polymerase may replace the one or more nucleotide species with adifferent nucleotide species which comprises a chemical group or atomabsent from the one or more nucleotide species. The chemical group maybe a propynyl group, a thio group, an oxo group, a methyl group, ahydroxymethyl group, a formyl group, a carboxy group, a carbonyl group,a benzyl group, a propargyl group or a propargylamine group.

The polymerase may replace the one or more nucleotide species with adifferent nucleotide species which lacks a chemical group or atompresent in the one or more nucleotide species. The polymerase mayreplace the one or more of the nucleotide species with a differentnucleotide species having an altered electronegativity. The differentnucleotide species having an altered electronegativity preferablycomprises a halogen atom.

The method preferably further comprises selectively removing thenucleobases from the one or more different nucleotides species in themodified polynucleotide.

Other Characterization Method

In another embodiment, a polynucleotide is characterized by detectinglabelled species that are released as a polymerase incorporatesnucleotides into the polynucleotide. The polymerase uses thepolynucleotide as a template. Each labelled species is specific for eachnucleotide. The polynucleotide is contacted with a modified secretinnanopore described herein, a polymerase and labelled nucleotides suchthat phosphate labelled species are sequentially released whennucleotides are added to the polynucleotide(s) by the polymerase,wherein the phosphate species contain a label specific for eachnucleotide. The polymerase may be any of those discussed above. Thephosphate labelled species are detected using the pore and therebycharacterizing the polynucleotide. This type of method is disclosed inEuropean Application No. 13187149.3 (published as EP 2682460). Any ofthe embodiments discussed above equally apply to this method.

Sample

Any suitable sample comprising an analyte to be detected orcharacterized may be subjected to any of the methods described herein.The methods described herein can be carried out on two or more samplesthat are known to contain or suspected to contain the analytes.Alternatively, the method may be carried out on two or more samples toconfirm the identity of two or more analytes whose presence in thesamples is known or expected. In some embodiments, the method may becarried out on samples to distinguish double stranded polynucleotidesfrom single-stranded polynucleotides.

The first sample and/or second sample may be a biological sample. Themethods described herein may be carried out in vitro using at least onesample obtained from or extracted from any organism or microorganism.The first sample and/or second sample may be a non-biological sample.The non-biological sample can be a fluid sample. Examples ofnon-biological samples include surgical fluids, water such as drinkingwater, sea water or river water, and reagents for laboratory tests.

The first sample and/or second sample is typically processed prior tobeing used in the methods described herein, for example bycentrifugation or by passage through a membrane that filters outunwanted molecules or cells, such as red blood cells. The first sampleand/or second sample may be measured immediately upon being taken. Thefirst sample and/or second sample may also be typically stored prior toassay, preferably below −70° C.

Kits

Another aspect of the present disclosure also provides a kit, forexample, for characterizing a target analyte such as a targetpolynucleotide, polypeptide, or ligand. The kit comprises any one of themodified secretin nanopores described herein and the components of amembrane. The membrane is preferably formed from the components. Themodified secretin nanopore is preferably present in the membrane. Thekit may comprise components of any of the membranes disclosed above,such as an amphiphilic layer or a triblock copolymer membrane.

The kit may further comprise an enzyme such as a polynucleotide bindingprotein or a ligand binding protein.

The kit may further comprise one or more anchors for coupling theanalyte (e.g., polynucleotide, polypeptide, or ligand) to the membrane.

The kit may additionally comprise one or more other reagents orinstruments which enable any of the embodiments mentioned above to becarried out. Such reagents or instruments may include one or more of thefollowing: suitable buffer(s) (aqueous solutions), means to obtain asample, e.g., from a subject (such as a vessel or an instrumentcomprising a needle), means to amplify polynucleotides and/or expressproteins or polypeptides, or voltage or patch clamp apparatus. Reagentsmay be present in the kit in a dry state such that a fluid sampleresuspends the reagents. The kit may also, optionally, compriseinstructions to enable the kit to be used in any one of the methodsdescribed herein or details regarding for which organism the method maybe used.

Apparatus

Another aspect described herein also provides an apparatus, for example,for characterizing a target analyte such as a polynucleotide,polypeptide, or ligand. The apparatus comprises a plurality of modifiedsecretin nanopores as described herein and a plurality of membranes. Insome embodiments, the plurality of the modified secretin nanopores arepresent in the plurality of membranes. In some embodiments, the numbersof modified secretin nanopores and membranes are equal. In oneembodiment, a single modified secretin nanopore is present in eachmembrane.

In some embodiments, an apparatus comprises a chamber (e.g., amicrowell) containing an aqueous solution having disposed therein amembrane comprising a modified secretin nanopore as described herein. Insome embodiments, an apparatus may comprise an array of chambers (e.g.,an array of microwells), each of which contains an aqueous solutionhaving disposed therein a membrane comprising a modified secretinnanopore as described herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus maycomprise an array of chambers (e.g., an array of microwells), each ofwhich contains an aqueous solution having disposed therein a membranecomprising a nanopore. In these embodiments, at least one nanopore is amodified secretin nanopore as described herein, and the remainingnanopores may be a non-secretin nanopore known in the art, e.g., but notlimited to CsgG nanopores (e.g., as described in WO 2016/034591);α-hemolysin nanopores (e.g., as described in WO 2010/004273); lyseninnanopores (e.g., as described in WO 2013/153359); Msp nanopores (e.g.,as described in WO 2012/107778; WO 2015/166275; and WO 2016/055778).Thus, more than one type of nanopores can be present in such an array.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may further comprise an analyte inthe aqueous solution. In some embodiments where the analyte is apolynucleotide, the apparatus may further comprise a polynucleotidebinding protein, e.g., a helicase, exonuclease, or polymerase. Thepolynucleotide binding protein may be bound to the polynucleotide. Insome embodiments, the polynucleotide binding protein may be on thecis-side of the membrane and the polynucleotide binding protein may bein contact (via e.g., ionic and/or hydrophobic interactions) with orcovalently attached to the cis-opening of the nanopore. In someembodiments, the polynucleotide binding protein may be on the trans-sideof the membrane and the polynucleotide binding protein may be in contact(via e.g., ionic and/or hydrophobic interactions) with or covalentlyattached to the trans-opening of the nanopore.

The apparatus can further comprises instructions for carrying out any ofthe methods as described herein. The apparatus may be any conventionalapparatus for polynucleotide analysis, such as an array or a chip. Anyof the embodiments discussed above with reference to the methods, e.g.,for characterizing a target polynucleotide, are equally applicable tothe apparatus described herein. The apparatus may further comprise anyof the features present in the kit described herein.

In some embodiments, the apparatus is set up to carry out any of themethods described herein, e.g., for characterizing a target analyte suchas a target polynucleotide.

In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises: (a) a sensor device that iscapable of supporting the plurality of modified secretin nanopores andmembranes and that is operable to perform polynucleotidecharacterization using the nanopores and membranes; and (b) at least oneport for delivery of material for performing the characterization.

Alternatively, the apparatus may comprise: (a) a sensor device that iscapable of supporting the plurality of modified secretin nanopores andmembranes and that is operable to perform polynucleotidecharacterization using the nanopores and membranes; and (b) at least onereservoir for holding material for performing the characterization.

In another embodiment, the apparatus may comprise: (a) a sensor devicethat is capable of supporting the membrane and plurality of modifiedsecretin nanopores and membranes and that is operable to performpolynucleotide characterizing using the pores and membranes; (b) atleast one reservoir for holding material for performing thecharacterizing; (c) a fluidics system configured to controllably supplymaterial from the at least one reservoir to the sensor device; and (d)one or more containers for receiving respective samples, the fluidicssystem being configured to supply the samples selectively from one ormore containers to the sensor device.

The apparatus may be any of those described in International ApplicationNo. No. PCT/GB08/004127 (published as WO 2009/077734), PCT/GB10/000789(published as WO 2010/122293), International Application No.PCT/GB10/002206 (published as WO 2011/067559) or InternationalApplication No. PCT/US99/25679 (published as WO 00/28312), the contentsof each of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Without further elaboration, it is believed that one skilled in the artcan, based on the above description, utilize the present disclosure toits fullest extent. The following specific embodiments are, therefore,to be construed as merely illustrative, and not limitative of theremainder of the disclosure in any way whatsoever. All publicationscited herein are incorporated by reference for the purposes or subjectmatter referenced herein.

Example 1. Exemplary Method for Expression and Purification of aModified Secretin Nanopore Subunit Polypeptide, e.g., a Modified InvGNanopore Subunit Polypeptide

Ampicillin-resistant pT7 vector containing the gene encoding a modifiedsecretin nanopore subunit polypeptide (e.g., an amino acid sequence asset forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 2 with one or more (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, or more and up to 50 amino acidmodifications described herein)) with a C terminal hexa-histidine (His)tag and kanamycin-resistant pRham vector containing the gene encodingInvH protein (20Kd protein that would enhance the expression of InvG)were co-transformed into C43 DE3 pLysS cells and plated out on agarplates containing both Ampicillin (100 μg/ml) and Kanamycin (30 μg/ml)and grown overnight at 37° C. A single colony was used to inoculate a100 ml starter culture of TB media containing both Ampicillin (100μg/ml) and Kanamycin (30 μg/ml). The culture was grown at 250 rpm at 37°C. for 18 hours. 15 ml of starter culture was used to inoculate 500 mlof TB media containing both Ampicillin (100 μg/ml) and Kanamycin (30μg/ml), and the culture was grown at 250 rpm at 37° C. until OD at 600nm reached 0.6. The temperature was reduced to 18° C. and the culturewas allowed to equilibrate to the reduced temperature for 1 hour. IPTGwas added to the final concentration of 0.5 mM, and Rhamnose was addedto 0.2% to induce protein production. The culture was allowed toincubate for 18 hrs at 250 rpm at 18° C. The culture was harvested bycentrifugation at 6000 g for 20 minutes. The cell pellet was lysed byresuspending in 7.5 ml per 1 g pellet of 25 mM HEPES, 500 mM NaCl, 15 mMImidazole, Protease inhibitors, 25 unit/ml Benzonase Nuclease, 0.01% DDMpH7.5 and mixed to homogeneity. The resuspended pellet was then lysed bysonication (15 cycles of 20 seconds on/20 seconds off for 15 cycles).The lysate was separated by centrifugation at 50,000 g for 1 hour. Thesupernatant was filtered through a 0.22 μm filter and applied to a 1 mLHis trap crude column. The protein was purified by the AKTA system asper manufacturer's instructions, using 25 mM HEPES, 500 mM NaCl, 15 mMImidazole, 0.01% DDM pH7.5 as the loading buffer; 25 mM HEPES, 500 mMNaCl, 75 mM Imidazole, 0.01% DDM pH7.5 as the wash buffer; and 25 mMHEPES, 500 mM NaCl, 500 mM Imidazole, 0.01% DDM pH7.5 as the elutionbuffer.

SDS Page was carried out to ascertain that the correct protein waspresent. Eluted fractions were then pooled and concentrated, forexample, via 30 kD MWCO Amicon spin column. The protein was carriedforward for SEC chromatography of 5200 increase column, as permanufacturer's instructions, using 25 mM HEPES, 500 mM NaCl, 0.001% DDMpH7.5 as buffer A. The protein of interest was eluted as a single peakin an appropriate molecular weight fraction. For example, a modifiedInvG nanopore subunit polypeptide may have a molecular weight of about40 kDa to about 70 kDa (which can vary depending on the elutionconditions of the SEC chromatography). The elution fractions were pooledand incubated with lecithin liposomes for 3 hours at 37° C. with gentlemixing in a thermoshaker. The sample was then spun at 20,000 G for 20minutes, the supernatant discarded, and the pellet resuspended in 25 mMHEPES, 500 mM NaCl, 0.1% SDS pH7.5. Following resuspension, the samplewas heated at 60° C. for 15 minutes and spun at 20,000 g for 10 minutes.The supernatant was carried forward for SEC on SW TOSOH G4000 column asper manufactures instructions to select for oligomer.

Example 2. Exemplary Method for Expression and Purification of aModified Secretin Nanopore Subunit Polypeptide Comprising anEndopeptidase Cleavage Site

Ampicillin-resistant pT7 vector containing the gene encoding a modifiedsecretin nanopore subunit polypeptide that comprises an endopeptidasecleavage site such as Tobacco Etch Virus (TEV) protease cleavage site(e.g., an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3 with one ormore (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, or more andup to 50 amino acid modifications described herein)) with a C terminalhexa-histidine tag was transformed into C43 DE3 pLysS cells and platedout on agar plates containing Ampicillin (100 μg/ml). A single colonywas used to inoculate a 100 ml starter culture of TB media containingAmpicillin (100 μg/ml). The culture was grown at 250 rpm at 37° C. for18 hours. 15 ml of starter culture was used to inoculate 500 ml of TBmedia containing Ampicillin (100 μg/ml) and the culture was grown at 250rpm at 37° C. until the OD at 600 nm reached 0.6. The temperature wasreduced to 18° C. and the culture was allowed to equilibrate to thereduced temperature for 1 hour. IPTG was added to the finalconcentration of 0.5 mM to induce protein production. The culture wasallowed to incubate for 18 hrs at 250 rpm at 18° C. and harvested bycentrifugation at 6000 g for 20 minutes. The cell pellet was lysed byresuspending in 7.5 ml per 1 g pellet of 25 mM HEPES, 500 mM NaCl, 15 mMImidazole, Protease inhibitors, 25 unit/ml Benzonase Nuclease, and 0.01%DDM pH 7.5, and mixed to homogeneity. The resuspended pellet was thenlysed by sonication (15 cycles of 20 seconds on/20 seconds off for 15cycles). The lysate was separated by centrifugation at 50,000 g for 1hour. The supernatant was filtered through 0.22 μm filter and applied toa 1 ml His trap crude column. The protein was purified by the AKTAsystem as per manufacturer's instructions, using 25 mM HEPES, 500 mMNaCl, 15 mM Imidazole, and 0.01% DDM pH 7.5 as the loading buffer; 25 mMHEPES, 500 mM NaCl, 75 mM Imidazole, and 0.01% DDM pH 7.5 as the washbuffer, and 25 mM HEPES, 500 mM NaCl, 500 mM Imidazole, and 0.01% DDM pH7.5 as the elution buffer.

SDS Page was carried out to ascertain that the correct protein waspresent. Eluted fractions were then pooled and concentrated via a 30 kDMWCO Amicon spin column. The protein was carried forward for SECchromatography of 5200 increase column as per manufacturer'sinstructions using 25 mM HEPES, 500 mM NaCl, and 0.001% DDM pH 7.5 asbuffer A. The protein of interest was eluted as a single peak in anappropriate molecular weight fraction. For example, a modified InvGnanopore subunit polypeptide may have a molecular weight of about 40 kDato about 70 kDa (which can vary depending on the elution conditions ofthe SEC chromatography). The elution fractions were pooled. His-taggedTEV Protease was added to a final concentration of 0.2 mg/ml and thesample was allowed to incubate at 4° C. for 18 hours to remove peptidedomains that were located upstream of the endopeptidase cleavage sitewithin the vector sequence (e.g., NO and N1 domains of an InvG protein)from the rest of the modified secretin nanopore subunit. The sample wasreapplied to a trap column and the flow-through was collected.Flow-through fractions were incubated with lecithin liposomes for 3hours at 37° C. with gentle mixing in a thermoshaker. The sample wasthen spun at 20,000 G for 20 minutes, the supernatant discarded, and thepellet resuspended in 25 mM HEPES, 500 mM NaCl, and 0.1% SDS pH 7.5.Following resuspension, the sample was heated at 60° C. for 15 minutesand spun at 20,000 g for 10 minutes. The supernatant was carried forwardfor SEC on a SW TOSOH G4000 column as per manufacturer's instructions toselect for the oligomer.

Example 3. Design, Expression and Purification of GspD Mutants

GspD mutants were designed as shown in the Tables below using the Vibriocholerae GspD sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 32 as the starting sequence.

TABLE 1 DNA Capture Mutants Mutation Mutant PositionGspD-Vch-(WT-E253Q/E257Q/E264Q/D290N-Del((N1-K239)(N265-SGS-E282))) N3DomainGspD-Vch-(WT-E253Q/E257Q/E264K/D290N-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) N3Domain GspD-Vch-(WT-E253Q/E257K/E264Q)-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)))N3 Domain GspD-Vch-(WT-E257K/E264K-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) N3Domain GspD-Vch-(WT-E253R/E257K/E264Q-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) N3Domain GspD-Vch-(WT-E454Q/D469S/E479K-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)))Central GateGspD-Vch-(WT-E454Q/E455N/D469S/E479K-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)))Central GateGspD-Vch-(WT-E455N/D469S/E479K-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) CentralGate GspD-Vch-(WT-E454Q/D469S/E479T-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)))Central Gate GspD-Vch-(WT-E253Q/E257Q/E264Q/D290N/E454Q/E479K)-Del((N1-Central Gate K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) and N3 DomainGspD-Vch-(WT-E253R/E257K/E264Q/E454Q/E479K-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-Central Gate E282))) and N3 DomainGspD-Vch-(WT-E253Q/E257K/E264Q/D290N/E454Q/E455N-Del((N1- Central GateK239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) and N3 DomainGspD-Vch-(WT-E253Q/E257Q/E264Q/D290N/E454Q/E455N/D469S/E479K- CentralGate Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) and N3 DomainGspD-Vch-(WT-E253Q/E257K/E264K/D290N/E454Q/E455N/D469S/E479K- CentralGate Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) and N3 Domain

TABLE 2 Increasing constriction size of central gate Mutation MutantPosition GspD-Vch-(WT-F472A-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) Central GateGspD-Vch-(WT-Q473S-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) Central GateGspD-Vch-(WT-N467S/N468G-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) Central GateGspD-Vch-(WT-N467G/N468S-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)))* Central GateGspD-Vch-(WT-N467G/N468S/D469S-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)))* CentralGate GspD-Vch-(WT-N467G/D469S-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) CentralGate GspD-Vch-(WT-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)/(T372-SGS-T393)/(T463-Central Gate N470)))15 *Selected as backgrounds for further mutantdesigns

TABLE 3 Stabilizing central gate Mutation Mutant PositionGspD-Vch-(WT-G453A/N467G/N468S-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) CentralGate GspD-Vch-(WT-G453P/N467G/N468S-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)))Central GateGspD-Vch-(WT-G453V/N467G/N468S-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) CentralGate GspD-Vch-(WT-G453S/N467G/N468S-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)))Central GateGspD-Vch-(WT-N467G/N468S/G481P-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) CentralGate GspD-Vch-(WT-N467G/N468S/G481V-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)))Central GateGspD-Vch-(WT-N467G/N468S/G481A-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) CentralGate GspD-Vch-(WT-N467G/N468S/G481S-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)))Central GateGspD-Vch-(WT-G453P/N467G/N468S/G481P-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)))Central GateGspD-Vch-(WT-G453A/N467G/N468S/G481P-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)))Central GateGspD-Vch-(WT-G453P/N467G/N468S/G481A-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)))Central Gate

TABLE 4 Stabilizing cap gate: charge removal Mutation Mutant PositionGspD-Vch-(WT-D380N/N467G/N468S-Del(N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) Cap GateGspD-Vch-(WT-D380S/N467G/N468S-Del(N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) Cap GateGspD-Vch-(WT-R387S/N467G/N468S-Del(N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) Cap GateGspD-Vch-(WT-R387N/N467G/N468S-Del(N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) Cap GateGspD-Vch-(WT-D380S/R387S/N467G/N468S-Del(N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) CapGate GspD-Vch-(WT-D380N/R387S/N467G/N468S-Del(N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)))Cap GateGspD-Vch-(WT-D380N/N467G/N468S/D469S-Del(N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) CapGate GspD-Vch-(WT-D380S/N467G/N468S/D469S-Del(N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)))Cap GateGspD-Vch-(WT-R387S/N467G/N468S/D469S-Del(N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) CapGate GspD-Vch-(WT-R387N/N467G/N468S/D469S-Del(N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)))Cap GateGspD-Vch-(WT-D380S/R387S/N467G/N468S/D469S-Del(N1-K239)/(N265-SGS- CapGate E282)))GspD-Vch-(WT-D380N/R387S/N467G/N468S/D469S-Del(N1-K239)/(N265-SGS- CapGate E282)))GspD-Vch-(WT-E367Q/N467G/N468S/D469S-Del(N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) CapGate GspD-Vch-(WT-E368Q/N467G/N468S/D469S-Del(N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)))Cap GateGspD-Vch-(WT-D396N/N467G/N468S/D469S-Del(N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) CapGate GspD-Vch-(WT-K376S/D380S/R387S/E389Q/N467G/N468S/D469S-Del(N1- CapGate K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)))GspD-Vch-(WT-D371N/K376S/D380S/R387S/E389Q/K394S/N467G/N468S/D469S- CapGate Del(N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)))

TABLE 5 Stabilizing cap gate Mutation Mutant positionGspD-Vch-(WT-N467G/N468S/D469S-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)/(D371- CapGate deletion SGS-K394)))GspD-Vch-(WT-N467G/N468S/D469S-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)/(T372- CapGate deletion SGS-T393)))GspD-Vch-(WT-D371P/N467G/N468S/D469S-Del(N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) CapGate: Proline substitutionGspD-Vch-(WT-K394P/N467G/N468S/D469S-Del(N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) CapGate: Proline substitutionGspD-Vch-(WT-D371P/K394P/N467G/N468S/D469S-Del(N1-K239)/(N265-SGS- CapGate: E282))) Proline substitutionGspD-Vch-(WT-T372P/T393P/N467G/N468S/D469S-Del(N1-K239)/(N265-SGS- CapGate: E282))) Proline substitutionGspD-Vch-(WT-D371P/T372P/T393P/K394P/N467G/N468S/D469S-Del(N1- Cap Gate:K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))) Proline substitution

TABLE 6 Constriction and Cap extreme mutants Mutation Mutant positionGspD-Vch-(WT-N467G/N468S/D469S-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)/(D371- CapGate T393)))15 deletionGspD-Vch-(WT-G453A/N467G/N468S/D469S-Del((N1-K239)(N265-SGS- Cap GateE282)/(D371-T393)))15 deletion and Central gate mutationGspD-Vch-(WT-G453A/N467G/N468S/D469S-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS- Cap GateE282)/(T372-SGS-T393)))15 deletion and Central gate mutationGspD-Vch-(WT-N467G/N468S/D469S-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)/(T372- CapGate SGS-T393)/T463-QTT-S466))15 deletion and Central gate mutationGspD-Vch-(WT-N467G-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)/(T372-SGS- Cap GateT393)/(N468-D469)))15 deletion and Central gate mutationGspD-Vch-(WT-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)/(T372-SGS-T393)/(N467- CapGate D469)))15 deletion and Central gate mutationGspD-Vch-(WT-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282)/(T372-SGS-T393)/(T463-Central gate N470)))15 deletion

GspD mutants were expressed and purified in vitro using NEB pure expressKit. The reaction was setup as shown below.

TABLE 7 Reaction Mixture Component Volume (μL) Solution A 10 Solution B7.5 35S methionine 1 Rifampicin 0.8 Water 4 Lecithin vesicles 20 μl(spun as pellet) DNA 1.5

The volume of the initial reaction mix was 25 μL. The reaction mixturewas incubated for 3 hours at 37° C. in a thermomixer. After incubation,the tube was centrifuged for 10 min at 22000 g, of which the supernatantwas discarded. The protein present in the pellet was re-suspended in 1×laemmli buffer and run in 5% Tris-HCl gel overnight at 55V. The gel wasthen dried and exposed to Carestream® Kodak® BioMax® MR film overnight.The film was then processed and the protein in the gel visualized. TheOligomeric band of the protein was cut from the gel and re-suspended in100 mM Tris, 50 mM NaCl, 0.1% zwittergent, pH 8.

Example 4. Electrophysiology Setup

Setting up the experiment involved two separate steps, i) preparing thechips containing multiple wells of bulk co-polymer membrane to havesingle GspD mutant nanopores inserted and ready for sequencing and ii)DNA sample prep, which is added to the chip for sequencing. Materialsand methods for both the steps are explained below.

GspD mutants were expressed and purified in-vitro and stored in bufferwith 100 mM Tris, 50 mM NaCl, 0.1% zwittergent, pH 8. These mutant poreswere diluted to 1:1000 using the 25 mM K Phosphate, 150 mM PotassiumFerrocyanide (II), 150 mM Potassium Ferricyanide (III), pH 8.0 bufferand added to the chips to obtain single pores in each wells. After poreinsertion, the chips were washed with 1 mL, 25 mM K Phosphate buffer,150 mM Potassium Ferrocyanide (II), 150 mM Potassium Ferricyanide (III),pH 8.0 buffer to remove excess GspD pores. IV curve measurement wereperformed when required using a script which records current atdifferent potentials, ranging from −25 mV to −200 mV and 25 mV to 200 mVin 25 mV alternating potential steps. The chips was flushed twice with500 mL of sequencing mix containing 470 mM KCL, 25 mM HEPES, 11 mM ATPand 10 mM MgCl2, pH8.0. The chip is now ready for sequencing.

Meanwhile, for 3.6 kb experiment, DNA sample was prepped for sequencing.1 μg of DNA analyte was incubated with the 40 nM of Adapter mix(containing E8 helicase enzyme prebound to the adapter) and blunt TAligase for 10 minutes. The ligation mixture was then purified ofunligated free adapter using Spri purification. The final ligatedmixture was eluted in 25 μL elution buffer containing 40 mM CAPS pH10,40 mM KCl, 400 nM cholesterol tether. For each chip, 60 of DNA-adapterligated mix was mixed with the sequencing mix (final volume of 75 μL)and added to chip for sequencing. The experiment was then run for 6hours at 180 mV.

For the static strands experiment, Biotinylated static strands wereincubated with monovalent streptavidin in ratio 1:1 for 10 minutes. Thestatic strands were made to 1 mM final concentration in 470 mM KCL, 25mM HEPES, pH8. 1500 of strand was then added to the chip for staticstrand experiment. The pore used for the static strand experiment wasGspD-Vch-(WT-N467G/N468S-Del((N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))).

The results are shown in the Tables below and in FIGS. 14 to 18 . Thebaseline pore is GspD-Vch-(WT-del(N1-K239)/(N265-SGS-E282))). This porewas chosen as a baseline. This pore expresses in IVTT even afterdeletion of two domains (1-238) as well as the constriction site 265-282from the N3 domain. It is an open pore at −180 mV around 200 pA in C13buffer, although frequent spikes in increases in open pore current arevisible. It has an asymmetric IV-curve asymmetric, such that the poreremains open in negative potential and closed in positive potential. Ithas a non-linear IV curve with increasing open pore current withincreasing potential.

TABLE 8 Characteristics of Mutant GspD Pores Mutant (Mutation frombaseline, using numbering of SEQ ID NO: 32) Location of Mutant Change incharacteristic Baseline Removal of top Open pore around 200 pA at −100mV. constriction and N0, N1 Asymmetric IV curve with pore open at Domainnegative potential and closed at positive. Y379-GSG-R387 Removal of capgate Increases the open pore current (400-500 pA in −180 mV) at highvoltages. However, the pore still has asymmetric IV which was open innegative potential and closed in positive potential. F472A Mutatinglarger residues Increase in open pore current. Makes the pore to smallerones in the open at both negative and positive potential. central gateD469S Removing charge in Small pores with open pore around 60 pA centralgate at −180 mV. However, some large pores with asymmetric IV curveswere also seen. G453 and G481 Central Gate Important for proteinexpression and oligomerization and does not express when mutated toother residues apart from A and V. N467G/N468S* Mutating larger residuesSlight increase in open pore current slightly to smaller ones in thefrom 200 pA to 300 pA at −180 mV. Pore start central gate to open evenat positive potential. N467S/N468G Mutating larger residues Slightincreases open pore current slightly to smaller ones in the from 200 pAto 300 pA at −180 mV. Pore start central gate to open even at positivepotential. N467G/N468S/D469S* Mutating larger residues Decrease in openpore current to 80 pA to smaller ones in the at −180 mV. Pores aresymmetrical which are central gate and removal open in both negative andpositive potential. of Charge in the central gate *Selected asbackgrounds for further mutant designs

TABLE 9 Characteristics of Mutant GspD Pores Mutant (Mutation frombaseline) Comparing IV curves and Current levels Baseline 100 pA at −150mV. Open in negative potential and close in positive. Y379-GSG-R387 80 pat −150 mV but open pore spikes up to 200 pA (due to the increased capgate diameter). Still has assymetric IV curve which is open in negativepotential and close in positive. F472A Triggers saturation in IV curveat higher potential. Current is around 200 pA at −100 mV. Open in bothnegative and positive potential. D469S Small pore with 40 pA current at−150 mV has asymmetric IV. Larger pore has symmetric IV and current of200 pA at −150 mV. N467G/N468S* Mutating larger residues to smaller onesin the central gate N467S/N468G Mutating larger residues to smaller onesin the central gate N467G/N468S/D469S* Mutating larger residues tosmaller ones in the central gate and removal of Charge in the centralgate *Selected as backgrounds for further mutant designs

Other Embodiments

All of the features disclosed in this specification may be combined inany combination. Each feature disclosed in this specification may bereplaced by an alternative feature serving the same, equivalent, orsimilar purpose. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each featuredisclosed is only an example of a generic series of equivalent orsimilar features. From the above description, one skilled in the art caneasily ascertain the essential characteristics of the presentdisclosure, and without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, canmake various changes and modifications of the disclosure to adapt it tovarious usages and conditions. Thus, other embodiments are also withinthe claims.

EQUIVALENTS

While several inventive embodiments have been described and illustratedherein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision avariety of other means and/or structures for performing the functionand/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantagesdescribed herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications isdeemed to be within the scope of the inventive embodiments describedherein. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciatethat all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations describedherein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters,dimensions, materials, and/or configurations will depend upon thespecific application or applications for which the inventive teachingsis/are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able toascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalentsto the specific inventive embodiments described herein. It is,therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presentedby way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claimsand equivalents thereto, inventive embodiments may be practicedotherwise than as specifically described and claimed. Inventiveembodiments of the present disclosure are directed to each individualfeature, system, article, material, kit, and/or method described herein.In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems,articles, materials, kits, and/or methods, if such features, systems,articles, materials, kits, and/or methods are not mutually inconsistent,is included within the inventive scope of the present disclosure.

All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be understood tocontrol over dictionary definitions, definitions in documentsincorporated by reference, and/or ordinary meanings of the definedterms.

All references, patents and patent applications disclosed herein areincorporated by reference with respect to the subject matter for whicheach is cited, which in some cases may encompass the entirety of thedocument.

The indefinite articles “a” and “an,” as used herein in thespecification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to thecontrary, should be understood to mean “at least one.”

The phrase “and/or,” as used herein in the specification and in theclaims, should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements soconjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some casesand disjunctively present in other cases. Multiple elements listed with“and/or” should be construed in the same fashion, i.e., “one or more” ofthe elements so conjoined. Other elements may optionally be presentother than the elements specifically identified by the “and/or” clause,whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified.Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to “A and/or B”, when usedin conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising” can refer,in one embodiment, to A only (optionally including elements other thanB); in another embodiment, to B only (optionally including elementsother than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionallyincluding other elements); etc.

As used herein in the specification and in the claims, “or” should beunderstood to have the same meaning as “and/or” as defined above. Forexample, when separating items in a list, “or” or “and/or” shall beinterpreted as being inclusive, i.e., the inclusion of at least one, butalso including more than one, of a number or list of elements, and,optionally, additional unlisted items. Only terms clearly indicated tothe contrary, such as “only one of” or “exactly one of,” or, when usedin the claims, “consisting of,” will refer to the inclusion of exactlyone element of a number or list of elements. In general, the term “or”as used herein shall only be interpreted as indicating exclusivealternatives (i.e., “one or the other but not both”) when preceded byterms of exclusivity, such as “either,” “one of,” “only one of,” or“exactly one of.” “Consisting essentially of,” when used in the claims,shall have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law.

As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “atleast one,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should beunderstood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more ofthe elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including atleast one of each and every element specifically listed within the listof elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the listof elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally bepresent other than the elements specifically identified within the listof elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether relatedor unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as anon-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “atleast one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and/or B”) canrefer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including morethan one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements otherthan B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally includingmore than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elementsother than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionallyincluding more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including morethan one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc.

It should also be understood that, unless clearly indicated to thecontrary, in any methods claimed herein that include more than one stepor act, the order of the steps or acts of the method is not necessarilylimited to the order in which the steps or acts of the method arerecited.

1-71. (canceled)
 72. A method of detecting the presence or absence of ananalyte in a sample and/or characterising an analyte in a sample, themethod comprising contacting a secretin nanopore disposed in a membranewith the sample, applying a voltage gradient across the membrane anddetecting ionic current flow through the nanopore.
 73. The method ofclaim 72, wherein the secretin nanopore is a modified secretin nanopore.74. The method of claim 73, wherein the modified secretin nanoporecomprises a lumenal surface defining a lumen that extends through themembrane between a cis-opening and a trans-opening, wherein the lumenalsurface comprises one or more amino acid modifications relative to awild-type secretin nanopore.
 75. The method of claim 74, wherein the oneor more amino acid modifications comprise a charge-alteringmodification.
 76. The method of claim 75, wherein the charge-alteringmodification is a substitution of a negatively-charged amino acid with apositively-charged amino acid.
 77. The method of claim 74, wherein theone or more amino acid modifications comprise a substitution of aneutral amino acid with a hydrophobic amino acid.
 78. The method ofclaim 74, wherein the cis-opening has a diameter in a range of 60 Å to120 Å.
 79. The method of claim 74, wherein the trans-opening has adiameter in a range of 40 Å to 100 Å.
 80. The method of claim 74,wherein the secretin nanopore comprises a constriction having a diameterof about 7.5 Å to 25 Å.
 81. The method of claim 74, wherein the secretinis of a type II, type III, or type IV secretion system.
 82. The methodof claim 74, wherein the secretin is GspD, YscC, InvG, or PilQ.
 83. Themethod of claim 74, wherein the modified secretin nanopore comprises asubunit polypeptide having an amino acid sequence that is at least 95%identical to the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 33, SEQID NO: 34, SEQ ID NO: 35, SEQ ID NO: 36, SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 2.85. The method of claim 74, wherein the secretin is GspD and the GspDdoes not comprise a cap gate.
 86. The method of claim 74, wherein thesecretin is GspD and comprises a central gate that has been modified toreplace an amino acid with an amino acid having a smaller side groupand/or to replace a negatively charged amino acid with a neutral orpositively charged amino acid.
 87. The method of claim 74, wherein thesecretin is GspD and the modified secretin nanopore comprises a subunitpolypeptide having an amino acid sequence that is at least 95% identicalto an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 36, wherein: (i)one or more of the amino acids from D55 or T56 to T77 are deleted orsubstituted, one or more of K60, D64, R71 and E73 is substituted with anuncharged amino acid and/or one or more of D55, T56, T77 and K78 issubstituted with P; and/or (ii) F156 is substituted with a smaller aminoacid, N151 and/or N152 is/are substituted with a smaller amino acid,D153 is substituted with an uncharged amino acid, G137 and G165 are eachindependently unmodified or substituted with A or V.
 88. The method ofclaim 87, wherein Y63 to R71 are deleted and/or substituted with GSG orSGS, F156 is substituted with A, D153 is substituted with S, and/or N151and N152 are each independently substituted with G or S.
 95. The methodof claim 74, wherein the secretin is InvG and the modified secretinnanopore comprises a subunit polypeptide having an amino acid sequencethat is at least 95% identical to the amino acid sequence as set forthin SEQ ID NO: 1, wherein the lumenal surface further defines aconstriction within the lumen, the constriction having one or more aminoacid modifications at amino acids D28, E225, R226, and/or E231 of SEQ IDNO:
 1. 96. The method of claim 95, wherein the one or more amino acidmodifications of the constriction comprise one or more of the following:i. D28N/Q/T/S/G/R/K; ii. E225N/Q/T/A/S/G/P/H/F/Y/R/K; iii.R226N/Q/T/A/S/G/P/H/F/Y/K/V; iv. Deletion of E225; v. Deletion of R226;and vi. E231N/Q/T/A/S/G/P/H/R/K.
 97. The method of claim 74, wherein thesecretin is InvG and the modified secretin nanopore comprises a subunitpolypeptide having an amino acid sequence that is at least 95% identicalto the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1, wherein thelumenal surface comprises a capture portion having one or more aminoacid modifications at amino acids E41, Q45 or E114.
 98. The method ofclaim 97, wherein the capture portion comprises one or more of thefollowing amino acid modifications: i. Q45R/K; ii. E41N/Q/T/S/G/R/K; andiii. E114N/Q/T/S/G/R/K.